Poland’s conservative President, Andrzej Duda, has pledged to veto a bill proposed by the more liberal ruling coalition that aims to soften the country’s stringent abortion laws.
The proposed legislation seeks to decriminalize aiding a woman in obtaining an illegal abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy. Under current law, such assistance can lead to a prison sentence of up to three years.
In an interview with broadcaster TVN, when asked if he would sign the bill into law if it passed through parliament, Duda firmly stated, “No, because for me abortion is the killing of people.” He clarified that while a woman who undergoes an illegal abortion should not be penalized, those who assist in the procedure illegally should face consequences.
Poland’s existing law frequently targets those assisting with illegal abortions. Last year, notable cases included a women’s rights activist convicted for sending self-administered abortion pills to a pregnant woman, a gynaecologist charged with unlawfully aiding patients in obtaining abortions, and a man indicted for helping his partner terminate her pregnancy.
In November, The Left (Lewica), part of the ruling coalition, proposed a law to decriminalize and depenalize assistance in obtaining illegal abortions. This was one of four bills aimed at softening Poland’s abortion laws, which were approved by the Sejm, the more powerful lower house of parliament, in April for further legislative work. These bills also seek to end the near-total abortion ban introduced in 2021.
Recently, a parliamentary committee concluded its deliberations on the bill concerning decriminalizing abortion assistance, and the legislation is set to return to the Sejm this week, with a vote scheduled for Friday, as reported by the Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily.
The bill aims to fully decriminalize abortion assistance up to the 12th week of pregnancy and remove penalties for assistance in cases where prenatal testing or medical evidence indicates a high probability of severe and irreversible birth defects in the fetus.
However, the bill’s passage remains uncertain. The centre-right Polish People’s Party (PSL), the most conservative member of the ruling coalition, has expressed reservations. In April, seven PSL MPs voted against moving the bill to committee, while another 15 abstained.
The ruling coalition controls 247 MPs in the 460-seat Sejm. With the conservative opposition unlikely to support decriminalizing abortion assistance, the government would need almost all of its MPs to back the bill to secure a majority.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk, leader of the centrist Civic Coalition (KO) and the largest member of the ruling coalition, expressed his support for the bill on Twitter, stating, “We will vote to decriminalize abortion. We’re done with the discussion, it’s time for decisions.”
A poll conducted by United Surveys for Dziennik Gazeta Prawna and RMF FM found that 53% of respondents support the bill decriminalizing abortion assistance, while 36% oppose it.
Tusk also mentioned that his party would support a bill introducing same-sex civil partnerships, which was recently added to the government’s legislative agenda. This proposed law also faces potential opposition from parts of PSL.
In his TVN interview, Duda was also questioned about signing the same-sex partnerships bill if it passed parliament. He responded that he needed to review the law in detail. Earlier this year, his chief of staff stated that “the president does not support civil partnerships.”
Aligned with the national-conservative former ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, Duda has frequently criticized and opposed the policies of Tusk’s government since it took office in December. Many legislative initiatives, including judicial reform, face obstacles due to Duda’s presidency and veto power. However, Duda’s second and final term will end next year, when a new president will be elected.