• Poland's Constitutional Tribunal rules against recognizing same-sex marriages contracted in the European Union, deeming Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski's regulation unconstitutional.
• The Court of Justice of the European Union had previously ruled that EU member states must recognize same-sex marriages contracted in others to ensure EU citizens' right to family life across different countries within the bloc.
• The majority of judges in Poland's Constitutional Tribunal, who made the decision, were appointed during the time of the right-wing opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) and are closely associated with the party.

Poland's Constitutional Tribunal has ruled against the recognition of same-sex marriages contracted in the European Union.

The court decided on Tuesday that the relevant regulation issued by Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski was unconstitutional.

The Polish Constitution defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

In November, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that EU member states must recognize same-sex marriages contracted in others.

EU citizens must be assured that they can continue their family life in different EU countries as part of their right to move freely within the bloc, the Luxembourg-based court ruled. The case was brought by two men who married in Berlin in 2018.

In March, Poland's Supreme Administrative Court ruled that same-sex marriages contracted in other EU member states must be recognized by the Polish state. In doing so, the court transposed the CJEU ruling into Polish law.

The order issued by Interior Minister Kierwinski, which all registry offices were required to comply with, was due to come into force at the end of August.

However, lawmakers from the right-wing opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) appealed to the Constitutional Tribunal. The majority of the Warsaw court's judges were appointed during the PiS's time in government and are close to the party.