Poland demonstrates for liberal abortion law

The Polish parliament voted late Tuesday evening to loosen the country’s restrictive abortion laws, passing two separate bills supported by Prime Minister Donald Tusk. However, the legislative victory is likely temporary, as national-conservative President Karol Nawrocki is widely expected to veto both measures. The vote marks a partial step toward liberalization after years of political deadlock within Tusk’s center-left coalition, though critics argue the changes fall far short of the comprehensive reform promised during the 2023 election campaign. The first bill, introduced by Tusk’s Civic Platform party and the Left, aims to partially decriminalize abortions and assistance with them. It passed the lower house, the Sejm, by a narrow margin of 217 votes in favor to 213 against, with three abstentions. Notably, Vice Premier and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz of the Christian-conservative Peasants' Party voted against the measure. The second bill, brought forward by Tusk’s more conservative coalition partners Poland 2050 and the Peasants' Party, would restore the legal right to terminate pregnancies in cases of severe fetal abnormalities. This draft received broader support, passing 233 to 203 with one abstention. Both bills seek to reverse aspects of a 2020 Constitutional Court ruling that effectively banned abortion even for fetuses with fatal defects. Under current law, Poland maintains some of the strictest abortion regulations in Europe. Medical professionals are permitted to perform terminations only in cases of rape, incest, or when the pregnant woman's life is in immediate danger. Assistance with illegal abortions carries a penalty of up to three years in prison. These restrictions have led many doctors to hesitate before intervening or avoid performing procedures altogether due to fear of legal repercussions. The 2020 ruling, issued under the previous Law and Justice government, removed the existing exception for severe fetal malformations, sparking months of mass protests across the country. Tusk’s pro-European coalition has governed since 2023, having campaigned heavily on the promise to liberalize abortion rights. Despite this pledge, internal divisions within the governing bloc prevented a unified approach to the issue for several years. The recent passage of these two specific bills represents a compromise, offering only modest easing of the current framework rather than a fundamental overhaul. Consequently, large-scale demonstrations erupted nationwide on Wednesday, with protesters gathering outside the parliament in Warsaw as well as in cities including Krakow, Poznan, and Lodz. Demonstrators drummed, whistled, and held placards demanding legal abortion access, criticizing the government for failing to deliver on its core electoral promises. Organizers of the protests expressed deep frustration with the pace of change. Maja Pietruszewicz, one of the demonstration organizers, told the Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper that while protesters were angry in the early years following the 2020 ruling, they are now exhausted. She noted that despite the change in government, the situation regarding reproductive rights remains largely unchanged compared to the era of the previous administration. Critics also pointed out that the government began addressing the issue only a year before the next parliamentary elections, suggesting a lack of urgency over the preceding years. President Nawrocki’s office stated that the head of state will review the legislation objectively and substantively. His administration referenced his previous statements emphasizing the protection of unborn life, signaling a high probability of a veto. Nawrocki, who is backed by the opposition Law and Justice party, holds the power to block the bills unless overridden by a supermajority, which the current coalition does not possess. Thus, the practical impact of Tuesday's vote remains uncertain until the presidential decision is finalized. Data from the National Health Fund indicates a shift in abortion statistics in recent years. In the last recorded year, 851 abortions were performed in Poland. This number contrasts with the 452 abortions recorded in 2022, the final year of the previous government's tenure. The increase suggests that despite the legal barriers, medical procedures are occurring at higher rates, potentially driven by changing social attitudes or increased access to information, although the official legal framework remains highly restrictive. The political landscape surrounding this issue continues to fracture along ideological lines. While members of the governing coalition expressed satisfaction with the parliamentary vote, describing it as a long-awaited step in the right direction after years of struggle, opposition voices remain vocal. The split within the government itself was evident during the voting process, as key figures from the Peasants' Party opposed the decriminalization bill. This intra-coalitional discord highlights the difficulty Tusk faces in maintaining unity on socially sensitive issues while attempting to fulfill campaign pledges. The upcoming presidential response will determine whether these legislative efforts result in actual policy change or serve merely as symbolic gestures in a prolonged political battle over reproductive rights in Poland.