Photo by Zuza Galczynska Days of protests followed the tightening of abortion laws in Poland on 27 January. This legislation prohibits women from terminating a pregnancy, even if their foetus has severe abnormalities. Doctors and caregivers who assist women and their partners to do so, now risk up to 3 years in prison.
Law and Justice (PiS), the ruling party, previously tried to push through this tightening. Already in 2016 and 2018, it presented the law in parliament, but each time it met with huge popular protests. Thanks to the establishment of the Constitutional Court and the systematic replacement of moderate judges with conservative ones, the PiS was able to push through the stricter rules after all.
Law and Justice (PiS), the ruling party, previously tried to push through this tightening. Already in 2016 and 2018, it presented the law in parliament, but each time it met with huge popular protests. Thanks to the establishment of the Constitutional Court and the systematic replacement of moderate judges with conservative ones, the PiS was able to push through the stricter rules after all.
The restriction follows an illegal ruling by the Constitutional Court that harms women. It is part of a series of very disturbing developments in Poland, such as the threat to leave the Istanbul Convention (on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence), and draft laws criminalising sexual and relationship education, restricting in vitro fertilisation, and creating Poland's notorious "LGBT-free zones".
The European Commission has previously questioned the constitutional court and its legality. The rule of law and democracy are under severe strain in Poland and many experts fear that this is only the beginning. However, a ban on abortion does not prevent abortion. It does not reduce the number of abortions, but leads to abortions being performed illegally - with serious risks to women's health -, or forces women to travel abroad.
The European Commission has previously questioned the constitutional court and its legality. The rule of law and democracy are under severe strain in Poland and many experts fear that this is only the beginning. However, a ban on abortion does not prevent abortion. It does not reduce the number of abortions, but leads to abortions being performed illegally - with serious risks to women's health -, or forces women to travel abroad.
RSS Feed