MPs try again to pass new civil partnership bills

Members of the cabinet, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk (C), voting on civil partnership draft laws: photo - PAP/Leszek Szymanski

“You have to strike while the iron is hot,” commented Artur Dunin, MP for senior coalition partner Civic Platform (PO), in an interview with the Polish Press Agency (PAP).

Dunin was the chief author of one of three draft laws submitted to the lower house of parliament (Sejm) on Friday.

Some 46 members of Dunin's own party rejected the legislation, with 228 MPs from across the house throwing out the draft law, 211 voting in favour and 10 abstaining.

Two joint submissions by the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) and the liberal, anti-clerical Palikot's Movement (RP) were also rejected, after conservative parties Law and Justice (PiS) and Solidarity Poland (RP) called for a motion to throw out all three draft laws.

SLD MP Dariusz Jonski has revealed plans to submit draft legislation this week, after Prime Minister and Civic Platform leader Donald Tusk encouraged MPs to keep working on the issue.

“We are holding the prime minister to his word that he wants parliament to work on a solution,” Jonski commented, adding that he hoped that Tusk would manage to “crush” the opposition to civil partnerships within Civic platform itself.

All three draft bills submitted on Friday stressed that a legal basis for civil partnerships should be adopted irrespective of sexuality. (nh)