Poland's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, announced on Wednesday that his government plans to propose legislation to liberalize the country's near-total abortion ban, reports the news site France24. This move represents a significant shift from the previous administration's policy, as Tusk also intends to ease restrictions on the morning-after pill.
A Backward Trend in Women's Rights
Poland has recently seen a regression in women's rights, largely due to the conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS). The party has been tightening rights concerning abortion, in vitro fertilization (IVF), and contraceptives.
The Rationale Behind the Proposal
Two out of the three political groups in the Prime Minister's coalition include abortion liberalization in their agendas.
However, the third coalition member has not officially expressed its stance on the issue, and its lawmakers are uncertain about supporting the legislation. No date has been set for the parliament to vote on the proposals.
Tusk's government's initiative would make this the fourth legislative proposal aimed at liberalizing abortion in the parliament, following two proposals introduced in November, according to France24.
Nationwide Perspective
Currently, in the majority-Catholic country, abortion is legal only in cases of sexual assault, incest, or when the mother's life or health is in danger. Despite these restrictions, tens of thousands of women terminate pregnancies at home using illegal abortion pills or by traveling abroad. Medical professionals assisting in abortions face the risk of imprisonment in Poland.
In a landmark case last March, activist Justyna Wydrzynska was sentenced to community service for providing a pregnant woman with abortion pills.
