Civic partnerships gaining support
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
31.05.2011 13:00
Although the concept of full-blown gay marriage has not gained widespread backing in Poland, a new survey suggests that civil partnerships are no longer such a controversial prospect.
Research carried out by TNS OBOP for the Gazeta Wyborcza daily indicates that about 54 percent of adults are in favour of a new bill that would pave the way for civil partnerships – including homosexual ones.
In 2002, only 15 percent of respondents looked favourably on such a concept.
The current survey comes in the wake of a draft bill that was submitted to parliament by the Democratic Left Alliance earlier this month.
The bill has wide-ranging implications, covering such matters as the right to communal property, joint taxation and inheritance following the death of a partner
The conservative PiS party (Law and Justice) has declared itself against the bill. Meanwhile, Civic Platform (PO), which leads the government, is nervous of proceeding with the law prior to the elections
Speaker of parliament Grzegorz Schetyna, the former Deputy Prime Minister, explained that the matter “sparks emotions.”
According to the current telephone survey, which quizzed 500 Poles, 68 percent remain against gay marriage, and ninety percent against gay adoption. (nh)