They are considered to be the strictest abortion laws in Europe. The new Tusk government actually wants to liberalize the regulations in Poland. But the majority was missing when the first draft of the law was voted on in the lower house.
Abortion law in Poland will not be relaxed for the time being. The lower house has rejected a bill that would have decriminalized assisted abortion. 218 MPs voted against the bill and 215 voted in favor. It is the first of a total of four bills to liberalize abortion law in Poland.
Among those who rejected the bill were members of the government camp. The vote thus shows the deep division in the liberal-conservative coalition government under Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The new government had set itself the goal of reversing several laws introduced by the PiS party, which was replaced in December.
Abortion laws in Poland are currently one of the strictest in Europe. Abortion is only permitted after rape or incest – or if the life of the pregnant woman is in danger. If the unborn child has serious deformities, women are not allowed to have an abortion.
Abortion itself is not a criminal offence, but assisting in it can result in up to three years in prison. This can also affect husbands, partners or relatives who provide a pregnant woman with abortion pills.
Advance of the Left Alliance
The proposal to make assisted abortion legal in the future came from the left-wing Lewica alliance, which is part of Tusk’s coalition government. Another coalition partner has now thwarted the left-wing alliance’s plans: 24 MPs from the Christian-conservative Third Way voted against it, including Defense Minister Wladyslaw Koszyniak-Kamysz. Two MPs from Tusk’s own party, the liberal-conservative Civic Coalition, abstained.
Women’s organization speaks of a slap in the face for every woman
The women’s organization Federa spoke of a slap in the face for every woman. “Doctors will continue to be able to hide behind the fear of committing a crime if they help their patients. Families and friends will continue to risk their freedom if they help their loved ones,” it said in a statement.