The concept of de facto relationships in Poland

Abstract

This article is the first in a series of articles dedicated to de facto relationships, i.e. cohabitation, in Poland. Traditionally, cohabitation has been defined in Poland in opposition to marriage, and means a long-term relationship between a man and a woman who are living together outside a formal marriage. Cohabitation is widespread in Poland and is accepted by the great majority of citizens. At the same time, currently, there are no legislative proposals aimed at regulating in a comprehensive manner cohabitation, and it seems unlikely that this will change in the near future. Attempts to create a legal framework for cohabiting persons have, to a modest extent, and limited to selected aspects of civil law, been undertaken in the past. Looking to the future, then, we can expect to see a continuation of the past pattern of uncoordinated, scattered legislation. The concept of cohabitation will likely be introduced into various legal acts, and thus, indirectly, cohabitations will be partially integrated into the Polish legal system.