On November 4th, 2025, 11 members of the Lithuanian parliament (Seimas) from various political powers (Social Democratic Party, Liberals Movement and and Conservative Homeland Union party) registered a set of amendments to the Civil Code that would establish a legal framework for gender-neutral registered partnerships.
The move comes after the Constitutional Court ruled in April that the current lack of recognition for same-sex couples violates the constitutional principles of human dignity and equality under the law. This represent the most comprehensive and legally robust attempt to date to enshrine same-sex partnership rights in Lithuanian law, a marked improvement over all previous drafts that were more declarative in nature and lacked clear implementation mechanisms.
The proposed changes would define a “registered partnership” as a legal agreement between two individuals, regardless of gender, who have expressed their free will to form a partnership before a notary, instead of providing a more dignified and cost-effective option through the civil registry.
The law specifies that persons entering a registered partnership must be at least 18 years old, not closely related, and not currently married or in another registered partnership.
Key provisions of the draft amendments include:
- Establishing a process for registering and terminating partnerships through notarized agreements, similar to the existing procedures for contracting and dissolving marriages.
- Granting registered partners many of the same rights and obligations as married spouses in areas such as property ownership, inheritance, and legal representation.
- Allowing registered partners to adopt the other partner’s surname or keep their own after entering the partnership.
- Requiring registered partners to provide mutual assistance and contribute to the common needs of the partnership in proportion to their respective means.
However, the proposed law does not fully equalize partnerships with marriages. Notable differences include:
- Registered partners would not have the same adoption rights as married couples. The amendments state that the law “does not create preconditions for joint adoption of children or for one partner to adopt the child of the other partner.”
- Some tax and social benefits for married couples would not be extended to registered partners, as the explanatory note acknowledges these would require changes to other laws.
Advocates see the amendments as an important step forward for LGBT rights in Lithuania, but acknowledge they represent a compromise. Vladimir Simonko, head of the Lithuanian Gay League, says that while he would prefer full marriage equality like in Estonia, “given the current situation… I think this is the right path.”
Passing the amendments is expected to face fierce resistance from socially conservative forces, including ultra-Catholic lobby groups, anti-rights movements, and so-called “traditional family” advocacy groups. These opponents are likely to argue that legally recognizing same-sex partnerships would erode the privileged status of heterosexual marriage and pose a threat to “traditional values.” The explanatory note accompanying the draft law acknowledges the likelihood of “active public debates” on the issue but asserts that the proposed changes are a necessary and proportionate response to the Constitutional Court’s ruling, which obligates the legislature to take action to protect the human rights and dignity of same-sex couples.
If enacted, the proposed amendments would introduce a comprehensive legal framework for same-sex couples in Lithuania, more than two decades after the Civil Code first contemplated the concept of partnership. Although the law stops short of granting full equality with heterosexual marriage, it represents a significant milestone in expanding the rights and protections afforded to same-sex partners. Explanatory note also mentions that “in order to provide the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and, if necessary, other competent authorities with sufficient time to prepare for the proper implementation of these drafts, it is proposed to postpone the entry into force of the drafts to January 1, 2027. In addition, the implementation of the Draft Laws on Partnership and Amendment of the Civil Code will require fundamental legal and technological changes to the Register of Marriage Contracts. The implementation of changes to the Population Register Information System (integration interface with the Information System of the Register of Marriage and Partnership Contracts) will require an even longer period, therefore the entry into force of the amendments proposed by the draft Law on the Amendment of the Law on the Population Register is foreseen on January 1, 2028.”
The coming months will test whether a majority of Lithuanian lawmakers are ready to take this step to end discrimination against same-sex couples in the face of anticipated social and political pushback. The partnership debate is set to be one of the defining issues of this parliamentary session.
