Poland's Constitutional Court Blocks Recognition of Same-Sex Marriages from Abroad

Poland's Constitutional Court has ruled against recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other countries, rejecting an order by Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski. The court stated that the Polish constitution defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. This decision contradicts a November 2025 ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which required EU member states to recognize same-sex marriages concluded in other member states to protect free movement rights. Poland's Supreme Administrative Court had previously implemented the CJEU ruling in March 2026. The Constitutional Court, dominated by judges appointed under the previous PiS government, acted after PiS MPs appealed. Separately, Slovakia is also heading toward a conflict with the EU over the same issue. Prime Minister Robert Fico reaffirmed his government's position that Slovak law does not recognize same-sex marriages, even those legally performed abroad. The case of a senior Slovak diplomat who married his partner in Austria has brought the issue to a head, with the Prosecutor General filing a complaint over delayed decision-making.