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LGBT rights in: | Same-sex sexual activity | Recognition of same-sex unions | Same-sex marriage | Adoption by same-sex couples | LGB people allowed to serve openly in military | Anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation | Laws concerning gender identity/expression |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
European Union | Legal in all 27 member states [1] |
/
Recognized in 24/27 member states |
/
Legal in 16/27 member states |
/
Stepchild adoption legal in 20/27 member states; joint adoption legal in 17/27 member states |
Legal in all member states |
Membership requires a state to ban discrimination based on person's sexual orientation in employment. 4/27 states ban some anti-gay discrimination. 23/27 states ban all anti-gay discrimination |
/ Legal in 24/27 member states [2] |
LGBT rights in: | Same-sex sexual activity | Recognition of same-sex unions | Same-sex marriage | Adoption by same-sex couples | LGB people allowed to serve openly in military | Anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation | Laws concerning gender identity/expression | Lack of a Presence of Anti-LGBT laws |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Austria |
Legal since 1971; equal age of consent since 2002
[3] + UN decl. sign. |
Registered partnerships since 2010 [4] | Legal since 2019 [5] |
Stepchild adoption since 2013; joint adoption since 2016 [6] [7] [8] |
Includes transgender people [9] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Transgender people allowed to change gender without undergoing surgery [11] | [12] [13] |
Czech Republic |
Legal since 1962 (As part of
Czechoslovakia); equal age of consent since 1990 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships since 2006 [14] | LGBT individuals in a registered partnership may adopt [15] (Stepchild adoption pending) | Includes transgender people [16] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Legal recognition after sex reassignment surgery (with mandatory sterilisation) [17] | [18] [19] | |
Germany |
Legal in
East Germany since 1968 Legal in West Germany since 1969; equal age of consent since 1988 in East Germany and since 1994 in unified Germany + UN decl. sign. [3] [20] |
Registered life partnerships from 2001 to 2017 (existing partnerships and new foreign partnerships still recognised) [21] [22] | Legal since 2017 [23] | Stepchild adoption since 2005; successive adoption since 2013; joint adoption legal since 2017 [23] | Includes transgender people [24] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [25] | Gender change is legal; surgery not required [26] | [27] [28] |
Hungary |
Legal since 1962; equal age of consent since 2002 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships since 2009 [29] | Constitutional ban since 2012 [30] [31] [32] [33] | Constitutional ban since 2020 [34] [31] | [ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] |
Forbids discrimination based on gender identity
Transgender people are not allowed to change gender since 2020. [35] |
[36] [37] |
Liechtenstein |
Legal since 1989; equal age of consent since 2001 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships since 2011 [38] | Pending [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] |
Stepchild adoption since 2022; joint adoption since 2023 [44] [45] |
Has no military | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Gender change is not legal [17] | [46] [47] |
Poland |
Legal since 1932 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
/
Unregistered cohabitation since 2012; registered partnership proposed 2019 |
Constitutional ban since 1997 [48] (Article 18 of the Constitution is generally interpreted as limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples [49] [50] [51] [52] [53] [54]) [a] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples [56] | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [10] | Transgender people allowed to change gender but require undergoing medical treatment such as HRT or surgery. No provisions for nonbinary people. | [57] [58] | |
Slovakia |
Legal since 1962 (As part of
Czechoslovakia); equal age of consent since 1990 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
/
some limited rights for unregistered cohabiting same-sex couples since 2018; Limited residency rights for married same-sex couples since 2018 (Proposed) |
Constitutional ban since 2014 | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples [59] | [ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [60] [61] | / Allowed to change legal gender in theory. However because of lack of care and refusal by the state, de facto almost impossible since 2022. See LGBT rights in Slovakia § Gender identity and expression | [62] [63] |
Slovenia |
Legal since 1977 (As part of
Yugoslavia); equal age of consent since 1990 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered cohabitation since 2006
[64]; Registered partnerships since 2017 [65] |
Legal since 2022 [66] |
Stepchild adoption since 2011; joint adoption since 2022 [67] |
Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Gender change is legal [68] | [69] [70] | |
Switzerland |
Legal nationwide since 1942 Legal in the cantons of Geneva (as part of France), Ticino, Valais, and Vaud since 1798; equal age of consent since 1990 + UN decl. sign. [3] [71] |
Registered partnerships in Geneva (2001),
[72]
Zürich (2003),
[73]
Neuchâtel (2004)
[74] and
Fribourg (2005)
[74] Nationwide since 2007 [75] |
Legal since 2022 [76] |
Stepchild adoption since 2018; joint adoption since 2022 [76] [77] |
Includes transgender people [78] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [79] | Gender change is legal on simple declaration (self-determination +16 yo); surgery/sterilisation not required. [80] | [81] [82] |
LGBT rights in: | Same-sex sexual activity | Recognition of same-sex unions | Same-sex marriage | Adoption by same-sex couples | LGB people allowed to serve openly in military | Anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation | Laws concerning gender identity/expression | Lack of a Presence of Anti-LGBT laws |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abkhazia (Disputed territory) |
Legal after 1991 | |||||||
Armenia |
Legal since 2003 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Constitutional ban since 2015 [83] [84] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples. | [85] | ||||
Azerbaijan | Legal since 2000 [3] | |||||||
Belarus | Legal since 1994 [3] | Constitutional ban since 1994 [86] | / Banned from military service during peacetime, but during wartime homosexuals are permitted to enlist as partially able [87] | / (Highly bureaucratic, lengthy two-stage process: deciding body meets only twice a year; permission for medical or surgical interventions only at the second stage. Flaw in passport conversion whereby passport number may reveal former designation of sex to agencies.) [88] | ||||
Georgia |
Legal since 2000 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Constitutional ban since 2018 | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [89] | Requires sterilisation and surgery for change [17] | ||||
Kazakhstan | Legal since 1998 [3] | [90] | Requires sex reassignment surgery, sterilization, hormone therapy and medical examinations[ citation needed] | |||||
Moldova |
Legal since 1995 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Constitutional ban since 1994 [91] | [ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination | No longer requires sterilisation or surgery for change since 2017 [17] | |||
Russia |
Male legal since 1993 Female always legal [92] [3] Illegal in practice in Chechnya, where homosexuals are abducted and sent to concentration camps based on their perceived sexual orientation. |
Constitutional ban since 2020 [93] | Gender change has not been legal since 2023 [94] | |||||
South Ossetia (Disputed territory) |
Legal after 1991 | |||||||
Transnistria (Disputed territory) |
Legal since 2002 [95] | |||||||
Ukraine |
Legal since 1991 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Constitutional ban since 1996 [96] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples [97] | [98] [99] | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [100] | No longer requires sterilisation or surgery for change since 2016 | / [101] [102] |
LGBT rights in: | Same-sex sexual activity | Recognition of same-sex unions | Same-sex marriage | Adoption by same-sex couples | LGB people allowed to serve openly in military | Anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation | Laws concerning gender identity/expression | Lack of a Presence of Anti-LGBT laws |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Denmark |
Legal since 1933; equal age of consent since 1973 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships from 1989 to 2012 (existing partnerships are still recognised) [103] | Legal since 2012 [104] [105] |
Stepchild adoption since 1999; joint adoption since 2010 [106] [107] |
Includes transgender people [108] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Legal gender change and recognition possible without surgery or hormone therapy [109] | [110] [111] |
Estonia |
Legal since 1992 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Cohabitation agreement since 2016 [112] | Legal since 2024 [113] |
Stepchild adoption since 2016; joint adoption since 2024 [114] |
[ citation needed] Includes transgender people [115] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Gender reassignment legal; surgery not required [17] | |
Faroe Islands (Autonomous Territory within the Kingdom of Denmark) |
Legal since 1933; equal age of consent since 1977 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Legal since 2017 [116] [117] | Legal since 2017 | The Kingdom of Denmark responsible for defence | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [118] [119] | [120] | ||
Finland (includes Åland) |
Legal since 1971; equal age of consent since 1999 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships from 2002 to 2017 (existing partnerships are still recognised) [121] | Legal since 2017 [122] |
Stepchild adoption since 2009; joint adoption since 2017 |
Includes transgender people [123] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Since 2023, by way of self-determination. [124] | |
Iceland |
Legal since 1940; equal age of consent since 1992 (As part of Denmark) + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered cohabitation since 2006;
[125] Registered partnerships from 1996 to 2010 (existing partnerships are still recognised) [126] |
Legal since 2010 [127] [128] | Legal since 2006 [129] [130] | No standing army | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Documents can be amended to the recognised gender, sterilisation not required [131] [17] | |
Latvia |
Legal since 1992 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships from July 1, 2024 [132] | Constitutional ban since 2006 [133] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples, incl. stepchild adoption [134] | [135] | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [136] | Legal change allowed [137] but requires "full" transition and doctor's or court's approval. [138] Sterilization required. [139] | |
Lithuania |
Legal since 1993 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
/ Limited residency rights for married same-sex couples since 2018; Cohabitation agreement pending [140] Civil unions proposed. | Constitutional ban since 1992 [141] | Only married couples can adopt [142] | Since 2015 [143] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Effective from 2/2/2022, gender change on legal documents permitted without surgery and no non-binary option available. [144] [145] | |
Norway |
Legal since 1972 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships from 1993 to 2009 (existing partnerships are still recognised) [146] | Legal since 2009 [147] [148] |
Stepchild adoption since 2002; joint adoption since 2009 [149] [150] |
Includes transgender people [151] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [152] | All documents can be amended to the recognised gender [11] | |
Sweden |
Legal since 1944; equal age of consent since 1972 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships from 1995 to 2009 (existing partnerships are still recognised) [153] | Legal since 2009 [154] | Legal since 2003 [155] [156] | [157] Includes transgender people [158] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | [159] |
LGBT rights in: | Same-sex sexual activity | Recognition of same-sex unions | Same-sex marriage | Adoption by same-sex couples | LGBT people allowed to serve openly in military | Anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation | Laws concerning gender identity/expression | Lack of a Presence of Anti-LGBT laws |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom) |
Legal since 2000; equal age of consent since 2003 + UN decl. sign. [3] [160] [161] |
Since 2005, for members of the British Armed Forces [162] | Since 2014, for members of the British Armed Forces [163] | UK responsible for defence | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [164] | |||
Albania |
Legal since 1995 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | No legal recognition [17] | |||||
Andorra |
Legal since 1791 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Stable unions since 2005 [165]; Civil unions from 2014–2023, replaced by civil marriage [166] | Legal since 2023 | Legal since 2014 [167] [166] [168] | Has no military | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Since 2023, without SRS and sterilization - but with a mandatory 2-year waiting period. [169] | [170] [171] |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Legal since 1996 in the
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in
Republika Srpska since 1998, and in
Brčko District since 2003 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
[ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Requires surgery for change [172] | ||||
Bulgaria |
Legal since 1968; equal age of consent since 2002 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
/ Limited residency rights for married same-sex couples since 2018 | Constitutional ban since 1991 [173] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples [174] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] |
Forbids discrimination based on gender identity.
[175]
[176]
Transgender people are not allowed to change gender since 2017. [177] [178] |
||
Croatia |
Legal since 1977 (As part of
Yugoslavia); equal age of consent since 1998 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Unregistered cohabitation since 2003 [179] Life partnerships since 2014 [180] | Constitutional ban since 2013 [181] | Legal since 2022 [182] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] [183] | Act on the elimination of discrimination bans all discrimination based on both gender identity and gender expression. Gender change is regulated by special policy issued by Ministry of Health. [184] | / | |
Cyprus |
Legal since 1998; equal age of consent since 2002 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil cohabitation since 2015 [185] | [186] | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [10] |
Forbids some discrimination based on gender identity.
[187] Gender change is not legal. |
/ | ||
Gibraltar; equal age of consent since 2012 (Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom) |
Legal since 1993 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil partnerships since 2014 [188] | Legal since 2016 [189] | Legal since 2014 | UK responsible for defence | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [190] | Forbids discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment [190] | |
Greece |
Legal since 1951; equal age of consent since 2015 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Cohabitation agreements since 2015 [191] | Legal since 2024 [192] | Legal since 2024 | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Under the Legal Gender Recognition Act 2017 [193] [194] | ||
Italy |
Legal since 1890 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil unions since 2016 [195] | In 2018 the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriages performed abroad must be registered as civil unions. (Proposed) [196] | / Stepchild adoption admitted by the Court of Cassation since 2016 [197] [198] | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [10] | Legal recognition and documents can be amended to the recognised gender, sterilisation not required [199] [200] | ||
Kosovo (Disputed territory) |
Legal since 1994 (as part of Yugoslavia); equal age of consent since 2004 [3] |
[201] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples [202] [203] | [ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [204] |
Forbids discrimination based on gender identity.
No legal recognition [17] |
||
Malta |
Legal since 1973 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil unions since 2014 [205] | Legal since 2017 | Legal since 2014 |
Bans all anti-gay discrimination
[10] Pathologization or attempted treatment of sexual orientation by mental health professionals illegal since 2016 |
Transgender people allowed to change gender; surgery not required since 2015 [206] | ||
Montenegro |
Legal since 1977 (As part of
Yugoslavia) + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Life partnership from July 2021 [207] | Constitutional ban since 2007 (Court decision pending) [208] [209] | [ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Requires sterilisation and surgery for change [11] [17] | / | |
North Macedonia |
Legal since 1996 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
(Proposed) | [ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] |
Forbids discrimination based on gender identity.
Gender change is legally recognized since 2021 |
/ | ||
Northern Cyprus (Disputed territory) |
Legal since 2014 [210] [211] [3] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [210] [211] | Legal, requires surgery for change [212] | |||||
Portugal |
Legal since 1983; equal age of consent since 2007 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
De facto unions since 2001 [213] [214] | Legal since 2010 [215] | Legal since 2016 [216] [217] [218] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | All documents can be amended to the recognised gender since 2011 [219] | ||
Romania |
Legal since 1996; equal age of consent since 2002 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
/
Limited residency rights for married same-sex couples since 2018;
[220] |
LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples [221] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Legal recognition after sex reassignment surgery (sterilisation mandatory) [17] | |||
San Marino |
Legal since 1865 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil unions since 2019 | / Stepchild adoption legal since 2019 | Bans all anti-gay discrimination | No legal recognition [11] | |||
Serbia |
Legal from 1858, when nominally a vassal of the
Ottoman Empire to 1860,
[222] and again since 1994 (As part of
Yugoslavia); equal age of consent since 2006 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
(Proposed) | Constitutional ban since 2006 [223] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Legal after 1 year of hormone therapy, surgery no longer required since 2019 [224] | ||
Spain |
Legal since 1979 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
De facto unions in Catalonia (1998), [225] Aragon (1999), [225] Navarre (2000), [225] Castile-La Mancha (2000), [225] Valencia (2001), [226] the Balearic Islands (2001), [227] Madrid (2001), [225] Asturias (2002), [228] Castile and León (2002), [229] Andalusia (2002), [225] the Canary Islands (2003), [225] Extremadura (2003), [225] Basque Country (2003), [225] Cantabria (2005), [230] Galicia (2008) [231] La Rioja (2010), [232] and Murcia (2018), [233] [234] and in both autonomous cities; Ceuta (1998) [235] and Melilla (2008). [236] | Legal since 2005 [237] | Legal since 2005 [238] [239] | Includes transgender people [240] |
Bans all anti-gay discrimination
[10] Pathologization or attempted treatment of sexual orientation by mental health professionals illegal nationwide since 2023. [241] |
Since 2023, by way of self-determination [242] | |
Turkey | Legal since 1858 [3] | Legal since 1988, requires sterilisation and surgery for change [243] | ||||||
Vatican City | Legal since 1890 (As part of Italy) [3] | Has no military |
LGBT rights in: | Same-sex sexual activity | Recognition of same-sex unions | Same-sex marriage | Adoption by same-sex couples | LGB people allowed to serve openly in military | Anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation | Laws concerning gender identity/expression | Lack of a Presence of Anti-LGBT laws |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belgium |
Legal nationwide since 1795; equal age of consent since 1985 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Legal cohabitation since 2000 [244] | Legal since 2003 [245] [246] [247] | Legal since 2006 [248] [249] | Includes transgender people [250] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Since 2018, sex changes do not require sterilisation and surgery [251] | [252] [253] |
France |
Legal nationwide since 1791 Legal in Savoy since 1792; equal age of consent since 1982 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil solidarity pact since 1999 [254] | Legal since 2013 [255] | Legal since 2013 [256] | Includes transgender people [257] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Since 2017, sex changes no longer requires sterilisation and surgery [258] | |
Guernsey ( Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom) |
Legal since 1983; equal age of consent since 2012 + UN decl. sign. [259] [260] [3] |
Civil partnerships performed in the UK abroad recognised for succession purposes in inheritance and other matters respecting interests in property since 2012 [261] [262] Legal cohabitation since 2017 [263] |
Legal since 2017 in Guernsey, since 2018 in Alderney, and since 2020 in Sark
[264] [265] |
Legal since 2017 [266] | UK responsible for defence | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [267] [268] | Legal gender changes since 2007 [269] [270] | |
Ireland |
Male legal since 1993 Female always legal + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil partnerships from 2011 to 2015 (existing partnerships are still recognised) [271] | Legal since 2015 after a constitutional referendum [272] | Legal since 2017 [273] [274] [275] [276] [277] [278] | Includes transgender people [279] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [280] [281] [282] | Under the Gender Recognition Act 2015, by self-declaration. [283] | |
Isle of Man; equal age of consent since 2006 ( Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom) |
Legal since 1992 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil partnerships since 2011 [284] | Legal since 2016 [285] | Legal since 2011 | UK responsible for defence | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [286] | Transgender people are allowed to change their legal gender and to have their new gender recognised as a result of the Gender Recognition Act 2009 (c.11) [287] [288] | |
Jersey; equal age of consent since 2006 ( Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom) |
Legal since 1990 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil partnerships since 2012 [289] | Legal since 2018 [290] [291] | Legal since 2012 | UK responsible for defence | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [292] | Under the Gender Recognition (Jersey) Law 2010 [293] | |
Luxembourg |
Legal since 1795; equal age of consent since 1992 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships since 2004 [294] | Legal since 2015 [295] [296] | Legal since 2015 [297] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [298] | No divorce, sterilization and/or surgery legally required since September 2018 for change of gender [299] [17] | ||
Monaco |
Legal since 1793 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Cohabitation agreements since 2020 | (Proposed) | France responsible for defence | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [3] | |||
Netherlands |
Legal since 1811; equal age of consent since 1971 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnership since 1998 [300] | Legal since 2001 [301] | Legal since 2001 [302] [303] | Includes transgender people [304] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [305] | Since 2014, sex changes do not require sterilisation and surgery [306] [307] | |
United Kingdom |
Female always legal. Male legal in
England and
Wales since 1967, in
Scotland since 1981, and in
Northern Ireland since 1982; equal age of consent since 2001 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil partnerships since 2005 [308] | Legal in England, Wales, and Scotland since 2014, and Northern Ireland since 2020 [309] [309] | Legal in England and Wales since 2005, in Scotland since 2009 and Northern Ireland since 2013 [310] [311] [312] | Since 2000; Includes transgender people [313] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [314] [3] [315] | Under the Gender Recognition Act 2004 |
Marriage, being a union of a man and a woman, as well as the family, motherhood and parenthood, shall be placed under the protection and care of the Republic of Poland.
W dotychczasowym orzecznictwie Sądu Najwyższego, wypracowanym i ugruntowanym zarówno w okresie obowiązywania poprzedniego, jak i obecnego Kodeksu postępowania karnego, a także w doktrynie (por. wypowiedzi W. Woltera, A. Zolla, A. Wąska), pojęcie "wspólne pożycie" odnoszone jest wyłącznie do konkubinatu, a w szczególności do związku osób o różnej płci, odpowiadającego od strony faktycznej stosunkowi małżeństwa (którym w myśl art. 18 Konstytucji jest wyłącznie związek osób różnej płci). Tego rodzaju interpretację Sąd Najwyższy, orzekający w niniejszej sprawie, w pełni podziela i nie znajduje podstaw do uznania za przekonywujące tych wypowiedzi pojawiających się w piśmiennictwie, w których podejmowane są próby kwestionowania takiej interpretacji omawianego pojęcia i sprowadzania go wyłącznie do konkubinatu (M. Płachta, K. Łojewski, A.M. Liberkowski). Rozumiejąc bowiem dążenia do rozszerzającej interpretacji pojęcia "wspólne pożycie", użytego w art. 115 § 11 k.k., należy jednak wskazać na całkowity brak w tym względzie dostatecznie precyzyjnych kryteriów.
Polska Konstytucja określa bowiem małżeństwo jako związek wyłącznie kobiety i mężczyzny. A contrario nie dopuszcza więc związków jednopłciowych. [...] Małżeństwo (jako związek kobiety i mężczyzny) uzyskało w prawie krajowym RP odrębny status konstytucyjny zdeterminowany postanowieniami art. 18 Konstytucji. Zmiana tego statusu byłaby możliwa jedynie przy zachowaniu rygorów trybu zmiany Konstytucji, określonych w art. 235 tego aktu.
W doktrynie prawa konstytucyjnego wskazuje się nadto, że jedyny element normatywny, dający się odkodować z art. 18 Konstytucji, to ustalenie zasady heteroseksualności małżeństwa.
Ustawa o świadczeniach zdrowotnych finansowanych ze środków publicznych nie wyjaśnia, co prawda, kto jest małżonkiem. Pojęcie to zostało jednak dostatecznie i jasno określone we wspomnianym art. 18 Konstytucji RP, w którym jest mowa o małżeństwie jako o związku kobiety i mężczyzny. W piśmiennictwie podkreśla się, że art. 18 Konstytucji ustala zasadę heteroseksualności małżeństwa, będącą nie tyle zasadą ustroju, co normą prawną, która zakazuje ustawodawcy zwykłemu nadawania charakteru małżeństwa związkom pomiędzy osobami jednej płci (vide: L. Garlicki Komentarz do art. 18 Konstytucji, s. 2-3 [w:] Konstytucja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. Komentarz, Wydawnictwo Sejmowe, Warszawa 2003). Jest wobec tego oczywiste, że małżeństwem w świetle Konstytucji i co za tym idzie – w świetle polskiego prawa, może być i jest wyłącznie związek heteroseksualny, a więc w związku małżeńskim małżonkami nie mogą być osoby tej samej płci.
art. 18 Konstytucji RP, który definiuje małżeństwo jako związek kobiety i mężczyzny, a tym samym wynika z niego zasada nakazująca jako małżeństwo traktować w Polsce jedynie związek heteroseksualny.
the drafters of the 1997 Polish Constitution included a legal definition of a marriage as the union of a woman and a man in the text of the constitution in order to ensure that the introduction of same-sex marriage would not be passed without a constitutional amendment.
Z przeprowadzonej powyżej analizy prac nad Konstytucją RP wynika jednoznacznie, że zamieszczenie w art. 18 Konstytucji RP zwrotu definicyjnego "związek kobiety i mężczyzny" stanowiło reakcję na fakt pojawienia się w państwach obcych regulacji poddającej związki osób tej samej płci regulacji zbliżonej lub zbieżnej z instytucją małżeństwa. Uzupełniony tym zwrotem przepis konstytucyjny "miał pełnić rolę instrumentu zapobiegającego wprowadzeniu takiej regulacji do prawa polskiego" (A. Mączyński, Konstytucyjne podstawy prawa rodzinnego, s. 772). Innego motywu jego wprowadzenia do Konstytucji RP nie da się wskazać (szeroko w tym zakresie B. Banaszkiewicz, "Małżeństwo jako związek kobiety i mężczyzny", s. 640 i n.; zob. też Z. Strus, Znaczenie artykułu 18 Konstytucji, s. 236 i n.). Jak zauważa A. Mączyński istotą tej regulacji było normatywne przesądzenie nie tylko o niemożliwości unormowania w prawie polskim "małżeństw pomiędzy osobami tej samej płci", lecz również innych związków, które mimo tego, że nie zostałyby określone jako małżeństwo miałyby spełniać funkcje do niego podobną (A. Mączyński, Konstytucyjne podstawy prawa rodzinnego, s. 772; tenże, Konstytucyjne i międzynarodowe uwarunkowania, s. 91; podobnie L. Garlicki, Artykuł 18, w: Garlicki, Konstytucja, t. 3, uw. 4, s. 2, który zauważa, że w tym zakresie art. 18 nabiera "charakteru normy prawnej").
Constitutional bans on same-sex marriage are now applicable in ten European countries: Article 32, Belarus Constitution; Article 46 Bulgarian Constitution; Article L Hungarian Constitution, Article 110, Latvian Constitution; Article 38.3 Lithuanian Constitution; Article 48 Moldovan Constitution; Article 71 Montenegrin Constitution; Article 18 Polish Constitution; Article 62 Serbian Constitution; and Article 51 Ukrainian Constitution.
Article 18 of the Polish Constitution limits the institution of marriage to opposite-sex couples.
The amendments [...] changed the phrase "homosexual orientation" to "sexual orientation"
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LGBT rights in: | Same-sex sexual activity | Recognition of same-sex unions | Same-sex marriage | Adoption by same-sex couples | LGB people allowed to serve openly in military | Anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation | Laws concerning gender identity/expression |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
European Union | Legal in all 27 member states [1] |
/
Recognized in 24/27 member states |
/
Legal in 16/27 member states |
/
Stepchild adoption legal in 20/27 member states; joint adoption legal in 17/27 member states |
Legal in all member states |
Membership requires a state to ban discrimination based on person's sexual orientation in employment. 4/27 states ban some anti-gay discrimination. 23/27 states ban all anti-gay discrimination |
/ Legal in 24/27 member states [2] |
LGBT rights in: | Same-sex sexual activity | Recognition of same-sex unions | Same-sex marriage | Adoption by same-sex couples | LGB people allowed to serve openly in military | Anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation | Laws concerning gender identity/expression | Lack of a Presence of Anti-LGBT laws |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Austria |
Legal since 1971; equal age of consent since 2002
[3] + UN decl. sign. |
Registered partnerships since 2010 [4] | Legal since 2019 [5] |
Stepchild adoption since 2013; joint adoption since 2016 [6] [7] [8] |
Includes transgender people [9] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Transgender people allowed to change gender without undergoing surgery [11] | [12] [13] |
Czech Republic |
Legal since 1962 (As part of
Czechoslovakia); equal age of consent since 1990 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships since 2006 [14] | LGBT individuals in a registered partnership may adopt [15] (Stepchild adoption pending) | Includes transgender people [16] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Legal recognition after sex reassignment surgery (with mandatory sterilisation) [17] | [18] [19] | |
Germany |
Legal in
East Germany since 1968 Legal in West Germany since 1969; equal age of consent since 1988 in East Germany and since 1994 in unified Germany + UN decl. sign. [3] [20] |
Registered life partnerships from 2001 to 2017 (existing partnerships and new foreign partnerships still recognised) [21] [22] | Legal since 2017 [23] | Stepchild adoption since 2005; successive adoption since 2013; joint adoption legal since 2017 [23] | Includes transgender people [24] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [25] | Gender change is legal; surgery not required [26] | [27] [28] |
Hungary |
Legal since 1962; equal age of consent since 2002 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships since 2009 [29] | Constitutional ban since 2012 [30] [31] [32] [33] | Constitutional ban since 2020 [34] [31] | [ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] |
Forbids discrimination based on gender identity
Transgender people are not allowed to change gender since 2020. [35] |
[36] [37] |
Liechtenstein |
Legal since 1989; equal age of consent since 2001 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships since 2011 [38] | Pending [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] |
Stepchild adoption since 2022; joint adoption since 2023 [44] [45] |
Has no military | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Gender change is not legal [17] | [46] [47] |
Poland |
Legal since 1932 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
/
Unregistered cohabitation since 2012; registered partnership proposed 2019 |
Constitutional ban since 1997 [48] (Article 18 of the Constitution is generally interpreted as limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples [49] [50] [51] [52] [53] [54]) [a] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples [56] | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [10] | Transgender people allowed to change gender but require undergoing medical treatment such as HRT or surgery. No provisions for nonbinary people. | [57] [58] | |
Slovakia |
Legal since 1962 (As part of
Czechoslovakia); equal age of consent since 1990 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
/
some limited rights for unregistered cohabiting same-sex couples since 2018; Limited residency rights for married same-sex couples since 2018 (Proposed) |
Constitutional ban since 2014 | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples [59] | [ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [60] [61] | / Allowed to change legal gender in theory. However because of lack of care and refusal by the state, de facto almost impossible since 2022. See LGBT rights in Slovakia § Gender identity and expression | [62] [63] |
Slovenia |
Legal since 1977 (As part of
Yugoslavia); equal age of consent since 1990 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered cohabitation since 2006
[64]; Registered partnerships since 2017 [65] |
Legal since 2022 [66] |
Stepchild adoption since 2011; joint adoption since 2022 [67] |
Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Gender change is legal [68] | [69] [70] | |
Switzerland |
Legal nationwide since 1942 Legal in the cantons of Geneva (as part of France), Ticino, Valais, and Vaud since 1798; equal age of consent since 1990 + UN decl. sign. [3] [71] |
Registered partnerships in Geneva (2001),
[72]
Zürich (2003),
[73]
Neuchâtel (2004)
[74] and
Fribourg (2005)
[74] Nationwide since 2007 [75] |
Legal since 2022 [76] |
Stepchild adoption since 2018; joint adoption since 2022 [76] [77] |
Includes transgender people [78] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [79] | Gender change is legal on simple declaration (self-determination +16 yo); surgery/sterilisation not required. [80] | [81] [82] |
LGBT rights in: | Same-sex sexual activity | Recognition of same-sex unions | Same-sex marriage | Adoption by same-sex couples | LGB people allowed to serve openly in military | Anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation | Laws concerning gender identity/expression | Lack of a Presence of Anti-LGBT laws |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abkhazia (Disputed territory) |
Legal after 1991 | |||||||
Armenia |
Legal since 2003 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Constitutional ban since 2015 [83] [84] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples. | [85] | ||||
Azerbaijan | Legal since 2000 [3] | |||||||
Belarus | Legal since 1994 [3] | Constitutional ban since 1994 [86] | / Banned from military service during peacetime, but during wartime homosexuals are permitted to enlist as partially able [87] | / (Highly bureaucratic, lengthy two-stage process: deciding body meets only twice a year; permission for medical or surgical interventions only at the second stage. Flaw in passport conversion whereby passport number may reveal former designation of sex to agencies.) [88] | ||||
Georgia |
Legal since 2000 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Constitutional ban since 2018 | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [89] | Requires sterilisation and surgery for change [17] | ||||
Kazakhstan | Legal since 1998 [3] | [90] | Requires sex reassignment surgery, sterilization, hormone therapy and medical examinations[ citation needed] | |||||
Moldova |
Legal since 1995 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Constitutional ban since 1994 [91] | [ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination | No longer requires sterilisation or surgery for change since 2017 [17] | |||
Russia |
Male legal since 1993 Female always legal [92] [3] Illegal in practice in Chechnya, where homosexuals are abducted and sent to concentration camps based on their perceived sexual orientation. |
Constitutional ban since 2020 [93] | Gender change has not been legal since 2023 [94] | |||||
South Ossetia (Disputed territory) |
Legal after 1991 | |||||||
Transnistria (Disputed territory) |
Legal since 2002 [95] | |||||||
Ukraine |
Legal since 1991 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Constitutional ban since 1996 [96] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples [97] | [98] [99] | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [100] | No longer requires sterilisation or surgery for change since 2016 | / [101] [102] |
LGBT rights in: | Same-sex sexual activity | Recognition of same-sex unions | Same-sex marriage | Adoption by same-sex couples | LGB people allowed to serve openly in military | Anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation | Laws concerning gender identity/expression | Lack of a Presence of Anti-LGBT laws |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Denmark |
Legal since 1933; equal age of consent since 1973 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships from 1989 to 2012 (existing partnerships are still recognised) [103] | Legal since 2012 [104] [105] |
Stepchild adoption since 1999; joint adoption since 2010 [106] [107] |
Includes transgender people [108] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Legal gender change and recognition possible without surgery or hormone therapy [109] | [110] [111] |
Estonia |
Legal since 1992 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Cohabitation agreement since 2016 [112] | Legal since 2024 [113] |
Stepchild adoption since 2016; joint adoption since 2024 [114] |
[ citation needed] Includes transgender people [115] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Gender reassignment legal; surgery not required [17] | |
Faroe Islands (Autonomous Territory within the Kingdom of Denmark) |
Legal since 1933; equal age of consent since 1977 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Legal since 2017 [116] [117] | Legal since 2017 | The Kingdom of Denmark responsible for defence | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [118] [119] | [120] | ||
Finland (includes Åland) |
Legal since 1971; equal age of consent since 1999 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships from 2002 to 2017 (existing partnerships are still recognised) [121] | Legal since 2017 [122] |
Stepchild adoption since 2009; joint adoption since 2017 |
Includes transgender people [123] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Since 2023, by way of self-determination. [124] | |
Iceland |
Legal since 1940; equal age of consent since 1992 (As part of Denmark) + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered cohabitation since 2006;
[125] Registered partnerships from 1996 to 2010 (existing partnerships are still recognised) [126] |
Legal since 2010 [127] [128] | Legal since 2006 [129] [130] | No standing army | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Documents can be amended to the recognised gender, sterilisation not required [131] [17] | |
Latvia |
Legal since 1992 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships from July 1, 2024 [132] | Constitutional ban since 2006 [133] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples, incl. stepchild adoption [134] | [135] | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [136] | Legal change allowed [137] but requires "full" transition and doctor's or court's approval. [138] Sterilization required. [139] | |
Lithuania |
Legal since 1993 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
/ Limited residency rights for married same-sex couples since 2018; Cohabitation agreement pending [140] Civil unions proposed. | Constitutional ban since 1992 [141] | Only married couples can adopt [142] | Since 2015 [143] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Effective from 2/2/2022, gender change on legal documents permitted without surgery and no non-binary option available. [144] [145] | |
Norway |
Legal since 1972 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships from 1993 to 2009 (existing partnerships are still recognised) [146] | Legal since 2009 [147] [148] |
Stepchild adoption since 2002; joint adoption since 2009 [149] [150] |
Includes transgender people [151] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [152] | All documents can be amended to the recognised gender [11] | |
Sweden |
Legal since 1944; equal age of consent since 1972 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships from 1995 to 2009 (existing partnerships are still recognised) [153] | Legal since 2009 [154] | Legal since 2003 [155] [156] | [157] Includes transgender people [158] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | [159] |
LGBT rights in: | Same-sex sexual activity | Recognition of same-sex unions | Same-sex marriage | Adoption by same-sex couples | LGBT people allowed to serve openly in military | Anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation | Laws concerning gender identity/expression | Lack of a Presence of Anti-LGBT laws |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom) |
Legal since 2000; equal age of consent since 2003 + UN decl. sign. [3] [160] [161] |
Since 2005, for members of the British Armed Forces [162] | Since 2014, for members of the British Armed Forces [163] | UK responsible for defence | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [164] | |||
Albania |
Legal since 1995 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | No legal recognition [17] | |||||
Andorra |
Legal since 1791 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Stable unions since 2005 [165]; Civil unions from 2014–2023, replaced by civil marriage [166] | Legal since 2023 | Legal since 2014 [167] [166] [168] | Has no military | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Since 2023, without SRS and sterilization - but with a mandatory 2-year waiting period. [169] | [170] [171] |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Legal since 1996 in the
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in
Republika Srpska since 1998, and in
Brčko District since 2003 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
[ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Requires surgery for change [172] | ||||
Bulgaria |
Legal since 1968; equal age of consent since 2002 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
/ Limited residency rights for married same-sex couples since 2018 | Constitutional ban since 1991 [173] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples [174] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] |
Forbids discrimination based on gender identity.
[175]
[176]
Transgender people are not allowed to change gender since 2017. [177] [178] |
||
Croatia |
Legal since 1977 (As part of
Yugoslavia); equal age of consent since 1998 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Unregistered cohabitation since 2003 [179] Life partnerships since 2014 [180] | Constitutional ban since 2013 [181] | Legal since 2022 [182] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] [183] | Act on the elimination of discrimination bans all discrimination based on both gender identity and gender expression. Gender change is regulated by special policy issued by Ministry of Health. [184] | / | |
Cyprus |
Legal since 1998; equal age of consent since 2002 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil cohabitation since 2015 [185] | [186] | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [10] |
Forbids some discrimination based on gender identity.
[187] Gender change is not legal. |
/ | ||
Gibraltar; equal age of consent since 2012 (Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom) |
Legal since 1993 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil partnerships since 2014 [188] | Legal since 2016 [189] | Legal since 2014 | UK responsible for defence | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [190] | Forbids discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment [190] | |
Greece |
Legal since 1951; equal age of consent since 2015 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Cohabitation agreements since 2015 [191] | Legal since 2024 [192] | Legal since 2024 | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Under the Legal Gender Recognition Act 2017 [193] [194] | ||
Italy |
Legal since 1890 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil unions since 2016 [195] | In 2018 the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriages performed abroad must be registered as civil unions. (Proposed) [196] | / Stepchild adoption admitted by the Court of Cassation since 2016 [197] [198] | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [10] | Legal recognition and documents can be amended to the recognised gender, sterilisation not required [199] [200] | ||
Kosovo (Disputed territory) |
Legal since 1994 (as part of Yugoslavia); equal age of consent since 2004 [3] |
[201] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples [202] [203] | [ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [204] |
Forbids discrimination based on gender identity.
No legal recognition [17] |
||
Malta |
Legal since 1973 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil unions since 2014 [205] | Legal since 2017 | Legal since 2014 |
Bans all anti-gay discrimination
[10] Pathologization or attempted treatment of sexual orientation by mental health professionals illegal since 2016 |
Transgender people allowed to change gender; surgery not required since 2015 [206] | ||
Montenegro |
Legal since 1977 (As part of
Yugoslavia) + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Life partnership from July 2021 [207] | Constitutional ban since 2007 (Court decision pending) [208] [209] | [ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Requires sterilisation and surgery for change [11] [17] | / | |
North Macedonia |
Legal since 1996 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
(Proposed) | [ citation needed] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] |
Forbids discrimination based on gender identity.
Gender change is legally recognized since 2021 |
/ | ||
Northern Cyprus (Disputed territory) |
Legal since 2014 [210] [211] [3] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [210] [211] | Legal, requires surgery for change [212] | |||||
Portugal |
Legal since 1983; equal age of consent since 2007 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
De facto unions since 2001 [213] [214] | Legal since 2010 [215] | Legal since 2016 [216] [217] [218] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | All documents can be amended to the recognised gender since 2011 [219] | ||
Romania |
Legal since 1996; equal age of consent since 2002 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
/
Limited residency rights for married same-sex couples since 2018;
[220] |
LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples [221] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Legal recognition after sex reassignment surgery (sterilisation mandatory) [17] | |||
San Marino |
Legal since 1865 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil unions since 2019 | / Stepchild adoption legal since 2019 | Bans all anti-gay discrimination | No legal recognition [11] | |||
Serbia |
Legal from 1858, when nominally a vassal of the
Ottoman Empire to 1860,
[222] and again since 1994 (As part of
Yugoslavia); equal age of consent since 2006 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
(Proposed) | Constitutional ban since 2006 [223] | LGBT individuals may adopt, but not same-sex couples | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Legal after 1 year of hormone therapy, surgery no longer required since 2019 [224] | ||
Spain |
Legal since 1979 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
De facto unions in Catalonia (1998), [225] Aragon (1999), [225] Navarre (2000), [225] Castile-La Mancha (2000), [225] Valencia (2001), [226] the Balearic Islands (2001), [227] Madrid (2001), [225] Asturias (2002), [228] Castile and León (2002), [229] Andalusia (2002), [225] the Canary Islands (2003), [225] Extremadura (2003), [225] Basque Country (2003), [225] Cantabria (2005), [230] Galicia (2008) [231] La Rioja (2010), [232] and Murcia (2018), [233] [234] and in both autonomous cities; Ceuta (1998) [235] and Melilla (2008). [236] | Legal since 2005 [237] | Legal since 2005 [238] [239] | Includes transgender people [240] |
Bans all anti-gay discrimination
[10] Pathologization or attempted treatment of sexual orientation by mental health professionals illegal nationwide since 2023. [241] |
Since 2023, by way of self-determination [242] | |
Turkey | Legal since 1858 [3] | Legal since 1988, requires sterilisation and surgery for change [243] | ||||||
Vatican City | Legal since 1890 (As part of Italy) [3] | Has no military |
LGBT rights in: | Same-sex sexual activity | Recognition of same-sex unions | Same-sex marriage | Adoption by same-sex couples | LGB people allowed to serve openly in military | Anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation | Laws concerning gender identity/expression | Lack of a Presence of Anti-LGBT laws |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belgium |
Legal nationwide since 1795; equal age of consent since 1985 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Legal cohabitation since 2000 [244] | Legal since 2003 [245] [246] [247] | Legal since 2006 [248] [249] | Includes transgender people [250] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Since 2018, sex changes do not require sterilisation and surgery [251] | [252] [253] |
France |
Legal nationwide since 1791 Legal in Savoy since 1792; equal age of consent since 1982 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil solidarity pact since 1999 [254] | Legal since 2013 [255] | Legal since 2013 [256] | Includes transgender people [257] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [10] | Since 2017, sex changes no longer requires sterilisation and surgery [258] | |
Guernsey ( Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom) |
Legal since 1983; equal age of consent since 2012 + UN decl. sign. [259] [260] [3] |
Civil partnerships performed in the UK abroad recognised for succession purposes in inheritance and other matters respecting interests in property since 2012 [261] [262] Legal cohabitation since 2017 [263] |
Legal since 2017 in Guernsey, since 2018 in Alderney, and since 2020 in Sark
[264] [265] |
Legal since 2017 [266] | UK responsible for defence | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [267] [268] | Legal gender changes since 2007 [269] [270] | |
Ireland |
Male legal since 1993 Female always legal + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil partnerships from 2011 to 2015 (existing partnerships are still recognised) [271] | Legal since 2015 after a constitutional referendum [272] | Legal since 2017 [273] [274] [275] [276] [277] [278] | Includes transgender people [279] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [280] [281] [282] | Under the Gender Recognition Act 2015, by self-declaration. [283] | |
Isle of Man; equal age of consent since 2006 ( Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom) |
Legal since 1992 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil partnerships since 2011 [284] | Legal since 2016 [285] | Legal since 2011 | UK responsible for defence | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [286] | Transgender people are allowed to change their legal gender and to have their new gender recognised as a result of the Gender Recognition Act 2009 (c.11) [287] [288] | |
Jersey; equal age of consent since 2006 ( Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom) |
Legal since 1990 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil partnerships since 2012 [289] | Legal since 2018 [290] [291] | Legal since 2012 | UK responsible for defence | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [292] | Under the Gender Recognition (Jersey) Law 2010 [293] | |
Luxembourg |
Legal since 1795; equal age of consent since 1992 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnerships since 2004 [294] | Legal since 2015 [295] [296] | Legal since 2015 [297] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [298] | No divorce, sterilization and/or surgery legally required since September 2018 for change of gender [299] [17] | ||
Monaco |
Legal since 1793 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Cohabitation agreements since 2020 | (Proposed) | France responsible for defence | Bans some anti-gay discrimination [3] | |||
Netherlands |
Legal since 1811; equal age of consent since 1971 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Registered partnership since 1998 [300] | Legal since 2001 [301] | Legal since 2001 [302] [303] | Includes transgender people [304] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [305] | Since 2014, sex changes do not require sterilisation and surgery [306] [307] | |
United Kingdom |
Female always legal. Male legal in
England and
Wales since 1967, in
Scotland since 1981, and in
Northern Ireland since 1982; equal age of consent since 2001 + UN decl. sign. [3] |
Civil partnerships since 2005 [308] | Legal in England, Wales, and Scotland since 2014, and Northern Ireland since 2020 [309] [309] | Legal in England and Wales since 2005, in Scotland since 2009 and Northern Ireland since 2013 [310] [311] [312] | Since 2000; Includes transgender people [313] | Bans all anti-gay discrimination [314] [3] [315] | Under the Gender Recognition Act 2004 |
Marriage, being a union of a man and a woman, as well as the family, motherhood and parenthood, shall be placed under the protection and care of the Republic of Poland.
W dotychczasowym orzecznictwie Sądu Najwyższego, wypracowanym i ugruntowanym zarówno w okresie obowiązywania poprzedniego, jak i obecnego Kodeksu postępowania karnego, a także w doktrynie (por. wypowiedzi W. Woltera, A. Zolla, A. Wąska), pojęcie "wspólne pożycie" odnoszone jest wyłącznie do konkubinatu, a w szczególności do związku osób o różnej płci, odpowiadającego od strony faktycznej stosunkowi małżeństwa (którym w myśl art. 18 Konstytucji jest wyłącznie związek osób różnej płci). Tego rodzaju interpretację Sąd Najwyższy, orzekający w niniejszej sprawie, w pełni podziela i nie znajduje podstaw do uznania za przekonywujące tych wypowiedzi pojawiających się w piśmiennictwie, w których podejmowane są próby kwestionowania takiej interpretacji omawianego pojęcia i sprowadzania go wyłącznie do konkubinatu (M. Płachta, K. Łojewski, A.M. Liberkowski). Rozumiejąc bowiem dążenia do rozszerzającej interpretacji pojęcia "wspólne pożycie", użytego w art. 115 § 11 k.k., należy jednak wskazać na całkowity brak w tym względzie dostatecznie precyzyjnych kryteriów.
Polska Konstytucja określa bowiem małżeństwo jako związek wyłącznie kobiety i mężczyzny. A contrario nie dopuszcza więc związków jednopłciowych. [...] Małżeństwo (jako związek kobiety i mężczyzny) uzyskało w prawie krajowym RP odrębny status konstytucyjny zdeterminowany postanowieniami art. 18 Konstytucji. Zmiana tego statusu byłaby możliwa jedynie przy zachowaniu rygorów trybu zmiany Konstytucji, określonych w art. 235 tego aktu.
W doktrynie prawa konstytucyjnego wskazuje się nadto, że jedyny element normatywny, dający się odkodować z art. 18 Konstytucji, to ustalenie zasady heteroseksualności małżeństwa.
Ustawa o świadczeniach zdrowotnych finansowanych ze środków publicznych nie wyjaśnia, co prawda, kto jest małżonkiem. Pojęcie to zostało jednak dostatecznie i jasno określone we wspomnianym art. 18 Konstytucji RP, w którym jest mowa o małżeństwie jako o związku kobiety i mężczyzny. W piśmiennictwie podkreśla się, że art. 18 Konstytucji ustala zasadę heteroseksualności małżeństwa, będącą nie tyle zasadą ustroju, co normą prawną, która zakazuje ustawodawcy zwykłemu nadawania charakteru małżeństwa związkom pomiędzy osobami jednej płci (vide: L. Garlicki Komentarz do art. 18 Konstytucji, s. 2-3 [w:] Konstytucja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. Komentarz, Wydawnictwo Sejmowe, Warszawa 2003). Jest wobec tego oczywiste, że małżeństwem w świetle Konstytucji i co za tym idzie – w świetle polskiego prawa, może być i jest wyłącznie związek heteroseksualny, a więc w związku małżeńskim małżonkami nie mogą być osoby tej samej płci.
art. 18 Konstytucji RP, który definiuje małżeństwo jako związek kobiety i mężczyzny, a tym samym wynika z niego zasada nakazująca jako małżeństwo traktować w Polsce jedynie związek heteroseksualny.
the drafters of the 1997 Polish Constitution included a legal definition of a marriage as the union of a woman and a man in the text of the constitution in order to ensure that the introduction of same-sex marriage would not be passed without a constitutional amendment.
Z przeprowadzonej powyżej analizy prac nad Konstytucją RP wynika jednoznacznie, że zamieszczenie w art. 18 Konstytucji RP zwrotu definicyjnego "związek kobiety i mężczyzny" stanowiło reakcję na fakt pojawienia się w państwach obcych regulacji poddającej związki osób tej samej płci regulacji zbliżonej lub zbieżnej z instytucją małżeństwa. Uzupełniony tym zwrotem przepis konstytucyjny "miał pełnić rolę instrumentu zapobiegającego wprowadzeniu takiej regulacji do prawa polskiego" (A. Mączyński, Konstytucyjne podstawy prawa rodzinnego, s. 772). Innego motywu jego wprowadzenia do Konstytucji RP nie da się wskazać (szeroko w tym zakresie B. Banaszkiewicz, "Małżeństwo jako związek kobiety i mężczyzny", s. 640 i n.; zob. też Z. Strus, Znaczenie artykułu 18 Konstytucji, s. 236 i n.). Jak zauważa A. Mączyński istotą tej regulacji było normatywne przesądzenie nie tylko o niemożliwości unormowania w prawie polskim "małżeństw pomiędzy osobami tej samej płci", lecz również innych związków, które mimo tego, że nie zostałyby określone jako małżeństwo miałyby spełniać funkcje do niego podobną (A. Mączyński, Konstytucyjne podstawy prawa rodzinnego, s. 772; tenże, Konstytucyjne i międzynarodowe uwarunkowania, s. 91; podobnie L. Garlicki, Artykuł 18, w: Garlicki, Konstytucja, t. 3, uw. 4, s. 2, który zauważa, że w tym zakresie art. 18 nabiera "charakteru normy prawnej").
Constitutional bans on same-sex marriage are now applicable in ten European countries: Article 32, Belarus Constitution; Article 46 Bulgarian Constitution; Article L Hungarian Constitution, Article 110, Latvian Constitution; Article 38.3 Lithuanian Constitution; Article 48 Moldovan Constitution; Article 71 Montenegrin Constitution; Article 18 Polish Constitution; Article 62 Serbian Constitution; and Article 51 Ukrainian Constitution.
Article 18 of the Polish Constitution limits the institution of marriage to opposite-sex couples.
The amendments [...] changed the phrase "homosexual orientation" to "sexual orientation"
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