– The tendency to enter into civil partnerships between couples of different sexes in Austria is increasing – said Dr. Agata Wolińska-Umschaden, a lawyer who lives in this country, on TVN24 BiS. Piotr Moszyński, an expert on French affairs, pointed out that “civil partnerships are an absolutely normal element of the social landscape in France.”
On Friday, October 18, two draft bills were published on the website of the Government Legislation Center. The first one is the project proper about registered partnerships. The second project is the so-called introductory act, which is intended to adapt the provisions of other acts to the new law. These are projects authored by the Ministry of Equality Katarzyna Kotula (Left). They assume, among other things, that a civil partnership is concluded when two people submit consistent declarations of concluding a partnership to the head of the registry office.
A discussion broke out around the document as to whether it was governmental or not. PSL does not recognize him as such. He argues that intra-coalition negotiations are still ongoing and the People's Party members have not yet finally expressed their support for the proposed solutions.
The issue of civil partnerships in other European countries was discussed on TVN24 BiS by a woman living in… Austria attorney Dr. Agata Wolińska-Umschaden and expert on French affairs Piotr Moszyński.
Civil partnerships in Austria
Wolińska-Umschaden said that “such a possibility has existed in Austria for a long time.” – The first civil partnerships have been possible since 2010, while from January 1, 2019, civil partnerships are possible not only for homosexual couples, but also for heterosexual couples – she explained.
She emphasized that “the tendency of couples of different sexes to enter into partnerships is increasing.”
Wolińska-Umschaden: the trend of different-sex couples entering into partnerships in Austria is increasingTVN24 BiS
When asked about any possible controversies, she replied that “there weren't many of them when introducing this type of bill.” – The controversy arose when the provisions were limited to the dissolution of registered partnerships only for same-sex couples. However, hence the change, where the equivalent of our Constitutional Tribunal verified this act and equalized the possibility of entering into civil partnerships also for heterosexual people – she noted.
Civil partnerships in France
Piotr Moszyński said that “in France it has already become a very popular form.” – And actually, the number of marriages and the so-called PACS, partnership pacts, statistically speaking, has leveled off over the years and at the moment it is actually 50:50 – he said.
He said that “in terms of both marriages and civil partnerships, heterosexual relationships definitely predominate in both categories”, noting that in France it is also possible to enter into same-sex marriages.
Civil partnerships in Europe. Experts on the situation in Austria and FranceTVN24 BiS
– This opening of the possibility of entering into partnerships only in the initial period brought such a wave of enthusiasm among homosexual couples who, speaking in quotation marks, jumped at this possibility, but now it has become so much a part of custom, it has become an absolutely normal element of the social landscape in France – said Moszyński.
He added that “many heterosexual couples take advantage of this opportunity due to the various amenities this form of relationship brings.”
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