Since Donald Tusk's left-wing government took office, governing party politicians have submitted a number of legislative changes that lack broad public support. Some of the proposals pertain to abortion and the over-the-counter availability of morning-after pills.

A large majority of Poles, 63 per cent (with 41 per cent strongly) oppose allowing access to abortion for women who simply do not want to have children, the latest survey by the Polish Centre for Public Opinion Research Center (CBOS) found.

Some GOOD NEWS.
The % of people in Poland who support abortion for material or personal reasons (yellow/red line) dropped from 47% in 1992 to 29% nowadays, according to CBOS.

More than 2 in every 3 Poles are against abortion at will.#ProLife pic.twitter.com/NfTBwbl0Yx

— Levi Borba 🇧🇷 – 🇵🇱 (@abrobivel) March 1, 2024

The Sejm, the lower house of the Polish parliament, is preparing to debate this very topic and is looking into proposals that would allow abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy, without requiring a specific reason. In recent months, several statutory changes related to abortion have been put on the agenda in the Chamber. Speaker Szymon Holownia announced that these proposals will be discussed during the parliamentary session scheduled for April.

The most recent CBOS survey also shows increased support for liberalising abortion laws in extreme cases, such as when the woman’s life or health is in danger, or in cases of rape or incest. However, the majority of the Polish population continues to oppose the adoption of laws that would ensure the right to ‘abortion on request’ or abortion for social and economic reasons.

Two-thirds of Polish adults (66 per cent) believe that abortion should be legally permitted in cases when the health or life of the mother is at risk. The next most supported justification for legal abortion is rape or incest, with 62 percent strongly in favour.

Donald Tusk is also planning reforms in other areas. Amendments to the pharmaceutical law would allow one of the hormonal contraceptives to be available without a prescription for people over the age of 15. The pill should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex. The current coalition government proposes and wants to introduce these legislative changes fast, without extensive consultation with professionals and the public, experts have pointed out, warning that these initiatives pose a serious threat to the reproductive health of women and their children.