Thousands protest in Poland for looser abortion rules

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 02:44 · Archive

Thousands demonstrated across Poland demanding abortion rights six years after strict restrictions were imposed.

Thousands of people protested across more than twenty Polish cities on Thursday demanding access to free and legal abortion. The demonstrations marked six years since Poland's highest court imposed near-total restrictions. Currently, abortion is only legal when a pregnancy results from rape or incest, or when it threatens the mother's life or health.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk came to power in 2023 after pledging to loosen abortion restrictions, but divisions within his governing coalition have slowed reform efforts. Parliament passed two bills easing restrictions days before the protests, but they are expected to be vetoed by President Karol Nawrocki, who has backing from the conservative opposition.

Protestors accused the government of breaking its promise. Zofia Marcinek of the Abortion Dream Team called the parliamentary bills 'token gestures', saying the government knew they would be vetoed but passed them to appear to be taking action ahead of elections next year. In Warsaw, about 1,000 protesters gathered in front of parliament despite rain. The country's restrictive abortion laws have been in place since 1993, with activists saying tens of thousands of abortions take place outside hospitals each year.

How it is being reported

• Thousands protest across Poland for access to free and legal abortionsDemonstrators gathered on the sixth anniversary of a near-total abortion ban imposed by Poland's highest court.Al Jazeera · 23 Oct, 01:54
• Poland: Thousands protest for more abortion rightsThousands rallied across Poland to demand abortion rights six years after a landmark court ruling tightened restrictions. The country has one of the strictest abortion rules in all of Europe.DW News · 22 Oct, 21:52

In this story: Poland · Donald Tusk · Karol Nawrocki · Warsaw · Law and Justice

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem