Poland repeals law recognizing same-sex unions concluded in the EU

The Constitutional Tribunal of Poland has banned the recognition and entry into state registers of same-sex marriages concluded in other European Union countries. The court ruled such procedures to be contrary to the country's fundamental law. This is reported by Inquirer.net.

The judges' decision was unanimous and final. The Tribunal ruled that the registration of foreign unions violates Article 18 of the Constitution, which defines marriage exclusively as a union of a man and a woman. The judges emphasized that the definition of family policy is the right of Poland itself, not of European judicial bodies.

"Marriage, being a union of a man and a woman, as well as the family, motherhood and fatherhood, are under the protection and care of the Republic of Poland," the court quoted from the constitution. The ruling effectively blocked an order of the EU Court of Justice, which had demanded that Warsaw recognize the status of same-sex couples in order to ensure their rights.

Poland is currently among four EU countries where any form of official same-sex relationships is prohibited. Approximately 70% of the country's population are Catholics, for whom the protection of the traditional family remains a key issue.

As the Union of Orthodox Journalists reported, Senegal enshrined in its Constitution the definition of marriage as a union of a man and a woman.

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