Poles Favour EU Gay Rights Treaty Despite Government Opposition

The Roman Catholic Church – which continues to believe that it should be able to dictate matters of Civil law in nations around the world – and reactionary elements in the Polish government have been leading opposition to Poland’s execution of the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights because it would guaranty civil rights to LGBT citizens in Poland. As is all too typical, the opponents of the treaty have used scare tactics and raised the specter of a homosexual agenda and gay marriage that they claim threatens Polish institutions and citizens. Fortunately, their propaganda campaign has failed based on a new poll. Here are some story highlights (http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/politics/2005-7211.html):

An opinion poll in Poland has found strong backing for a new EU treaty criticised by the country's homophobic President in an address to the nation last week. The survey will come as an embarrassment to President Lech Kaczynski, who used lurid images of gay marriage to illustrate the "threat" to the Polish nation he claims the Lisbon treaty poses.

The poll was published by daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza. Despite the President's dire warning that the treaty would lead to the introduction of gay marriage in Poland, 69% of respondents did not believe him. Overall 65% want the treaty to be approved and 15% do not.

Over footage of two men getting married in Canada the President, a notorious homophobe, claimed the Lisbon treaty would "affect the accepted moral order in Poland." Former Prime Minister Kaczynski claimed that Poland was "culturally different" from their EU partners, especially when it came to the rights of LGBT people and the use of the death penalty, and refused to sign up.