Poland's Parliament Adopts Laws to Liberalize Abortion Law
Two laws designed to ease the rules on abortion have received majorities in the Polish parliament. The country has so far one of the strictest abortion bans in Europe.
A demonstration against the abortion ban in Poland in 2021
The Polish Parliament has voted to liberalise the country’s strict laws on abortion. Two laws supported by the pro-European head of government Donald Tusk found a majority on Tuesday, one of them only barely. National conservative President Karol Nawrocki is expected to veto both laws.
The first law was introduced by Tusk’s Civic Platform (KO) party and the left. It provides for the partial decriminalisation of abortions and assistance. The draft was adopted by a narrow majority of 217 votes to 213, with three abstentions.
The second draft, introduced by Tusk’s more conservative coalition partners Poland 2050 and the Peasants’ Party, aims to reverse a 2020 ruling by the Constitutional Court. According to the judgment, even serious malformations of a fetus are not grounds for a legal abortion. This law was adopted by 233 votes to 203, with one abstention.
Poland has one of the strictest abortion laws in Europe so far. Only in the case of rape, incest and danger to the life or health of the woman doctors may perform an abortion. Assisted abortion is punishable by up to three years in prison. Due to the restrictive regulation, many doctors are afraid of abortions or hesitate long before they intervene.
Source: Spiegel ›
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