Polish lawmakers vote to ease abortion ban, but face likely presidential veto

WARSAW, Oct 20 (Reuters) – Poland’s lower house of parliament on Tuesday voted to allow abortion in case of foetal abnormalities and to decriminalise providing help in getting an abortion, as lawmakers seek to reverse a near-total abortion ban introduced by the previous government.

The legislation, however, is almost certain to be vetoed by the nationalist president.

Poland, a predominantly Catholic country, introduced a near-total abortion ban in 2021 after the constitutional court ruled that terminations due to foetal abnormalities were unconstitutional. The abortion ban led to widespread protests.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-European coalition won the 2023 election partly on a pledge to ease abortion restrictions. President Karol Nawrocki has signalled he would block any liberalisation of the law.

“The reality is that these pieces of legislation represent very limited small-scale reform and would not improve the situation for most women in Poland who need abortion care,” Leah Hoctor, Vice President for Europe at the Center for Reproductive Rights, told Reuters.

Separate draft legislation that would legalise abortion on request up to 12 weeks of pregnancy is under consideration in parliamentary committees.

Tusk’s government had earlier taken steps to expand access to abortions under existing regulations which allow abortion on mental health grounds.

Under the current law, abortion is only legal in cases involving rape or incest, or when a woman’s health or life is at risk.

(Reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk and Marek Strzelecki; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

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