Poland’s lower house of parliament has rejected a bill that aimed to eliminate penalties for individuals assisting in abortions, highlighting significant divisions within the ruling coalition over the potential relaxation of the country’s stringent abortion laws.Poland’s lower house of parliament has rejected a bill that aimed to eliminate penalties for individuals assisting in abortions, highlighting significant divisions within the ruling coalition over the potential relaxation of the country’s stringent abortion laws. Under the proposed bill, individuals involved in facilitating abortions, including by providing abortion pills, and doctors performing abortions during early pregnancy or due to fetal abnormalities, would have been exempt from prosecution. Reproductive rights and healthcare are crucial issues in Poland, where near-total abortion restrictions were imposed in 2021 by the previous nationalist government. Since Prime Minister Donald Tusk assumed office in December, the diverse coalition of moderate left and right parties has reinstated public funding for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and altered access regulations for emergency contraception. The coalition promised during its campaign to grant access to abortion within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, but debates within the governing coalition have delayed the progress of such legislation. Under current law, abortion is only permitted in instances of rape or incest, or when the woman’s health or life is in jeopardy. In April, lawmakers referred four separate bills aimed at easing abortion restrictions to a special bipartisan committee for review. The bill that was rejected on Friday was the first of these proposals to come up for a vote in the lower house. Christian Democratic Third Way, one of the coalition parties, as well as members of the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) and Confederation parties, voted against the measure. Abortion rights advocates expressed disappointment over the vote. Deputy Family Minister Aleksandra Gajewska lamented on social media that, despite the vote, “doctors will remain apprehensive about performing abortions, and girlfriends may face jail for assisting one another. Women will continue to fear for their health and well-being.” Work on the remaining bills is ongoing. Two of them propose allowing abortions up to 12 weeks, while the third, introduced by the Third Way, seeks to restore the right to abort in cases of fetal anomalies, reversing the situation prior to a 2020 constitutional court ruling. President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally and staunch opponent of abortion, threatened to utilize his presidential veto to prevent the recently rejected bill from becoming law. He is expected to leave office at the end of next year.
Poland’s lower house of parliament on Friday rejected a bill that would have scrapped penalties for people who help someone get an abortion, underscoring deep divisions in the ruling coalition over loosening one of Europe’s most restrictive abortion laws. Under the bill, people who help arrange abortions, such as by providing abortion pills, and doctors who perform abortions in the early weeks of pregnancy or because of fetal abnormalities, would no longer be charged.
Reproductive rights and health care are high on the agenda in Poland, which introduced a near-total ban on abortion in 2021 under the previous nationalist government. Since Prime Minister Donald Tusk came to power in December, the broad coalition of moderate left and right has restored public funding for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and voted to change the rules on access to emergency contraception.
One of his party’s campaign promises was to provide access to abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, but progress on such bills has stalled due to disagreements within the governing coalition. Under current law, abortion is only legal in cases of rape or incest, or when a woman’s health or life is at risk.
In April, lawmakers sent four bills to ease abortion restrictions to a special bipartisan committee for consideration. Friday’s bill was the first of the bills to be voted on by the lower house. It was rejected by nearly half of lawmakers from the Christian Democratic Third Way party, which is part of the government, as well as members of the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) and Confederation parties.
Abortion rights advocates said the vote was a setback. “Doctors will still be afraid to perform abortions, and girlfriends can be sent to prison for helping their girlfriends. Women will continue to fear for their health and lives,” Deputy Family Minister Aleksandra Gajewska wrote on the social media platform X.
Work on the other bills continues. Two would allow abortions up to 12 weeks and the third, proposed by the Third Way, would restore the right to abortion in cases of fetal abnormalities, returning the situation to what it was before a 2020 constitutional court ruling. President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally and fiercely anti-abortion, had vowed to use his presidential veto to prevent Friday’s bill from becoming law if it passes. He is expected to step down at the end of next year.
(Disclaimer: With input from authorities.)
