French town cuts ties with Polish twin city over country’s anti-LGBTQ stance
“We condemn the position taken by our twin city of Tuchow.”
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
A French town has cut ties with its Polish twin city over the country’s anti-LGBTQ stance.
The French community of Saint-Jean-de-Brave announced last week it was set to cut the ties that united it with Tuchow, in Poland.
Back in May, Tuchow adopted the declaration saying they wanted to defend themselves against ‘radicals… who attack freedom of speech, childhood innocence, the authority of family and school and the freedom of businesspeople’.
And last week, the town in central France condemned their decision and opted to cut ties with them over their discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation.
In a statement, they said: “France is committed to combating human rights violations based on sexual orientation.
“We cannot accept that the ties that unite our two cities by a twinning oath be tainted.
“We condemn the position taken by our twin city of Tuchow.”
The mayor of Tuchow, Magdalena Marzalek, blamed the city’s decision on campaigning ahead of local elections there.
She also claimed it will cut friendly relations as Tuchow will no longer be able to sponsor visits by people from the French town.
According to the Associated Press, Marszalek said many in her community do not identify with the declaration adopted last year by local councilors of Poland’s ruling conservative Law and Justice party.
Last year, it was reported the Polish government warned the ‘LGBTQ movement imported [into Poland] threatens our identity, our nation, its continued existence, and therefore the Polish state” and decided to declare themselves a ‘free from LGBTQ ideology’ zone.
The European Parliament subsequently voted to adopt a resolution condemning these homophobic ‘zones’.
The resolution – which received 463 of MEPS voting in favour, 107 against and 105 abstaining – discusses discrimination and violence against the LGBTQ community in all states but focuses on Poland.