Last Polish LGBTQ-free zone abolished
Six years after the first LGBTQ-free zones were introduced in Poland, the last such zone was abolished on Thursday.
The city council of Łańcut, in the southeast of Poland, decided last Thursday to overturn the regulations introduced by the previous government, which had been dominated by the far-right Law and Justice Party (PiS).
Since their introduction, the LGBTQ-free zones had been under heavy criticism from Europe. Several Polish regions lost subsidies because the zones violated European anti-discrimination rules and were considered a breach of European values.
Polish courts also ruled the regulations surrounding LGBTQ-free zones unconstitutional, stating that local authorities had overstepped their powers by declaring themselves LGBTQ-free.
In June 2022, the Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the resolution in question was a “violation of the dignity, honor, good name, and private life of certain groups of residents.”
The court also specified that it was the duty of the government to protect all citizens, including those belonging to minority groups.
As a result of this ruling, more than half of the LGBTQ-free zones were repealed. Łańcut remained the last city to maintain such a zone.
Lees meer
