Current:Home > MyTusk says he doesn’t have the votes in parliament to liberalize Poland’s strict abortion law-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Tusk says he doesn’t have the votes in parliament to liberalize Poland’s strict abortion law
View Date:2024-12-23 15:24:07
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has acknowledged that he does not have the backing in parliament to change the country’s abortion law, which is among the most restrictive in all of Europe.
Tusk, a centrist, took power in December at the head of a coalition that spans a broad ideological divide, with lawmakers on the left who want to legalize abortion and conservatives strongly opposed. Changing the law to allow abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy was one of his campaign promises.
“There will be no majority in this parliament for legal abortion, in the full sense of the word, until the next elections. Let’s not kid ourselves,” Tusk said during an event on Friday where he was asked about the matter.
Lawmakers to the parliament were elected last October for a term of four years.
Tusk said his government is instead working on establishing new procedures in the prosecutor’s office and in Polish hospitals in order to ease some of the de facto restrictions. “This is already underway and it will be very noticeable,” Tusk said.
Poland is a majority Roman Catholic country where the church maintains a strong position. But the central European nation of 38 million people is also undergoing rapid secularization, going hand-in-hand with growing wealth. Abortion is viewed as a fundamental issue for many voters, and a source of deep social and political divisions.
Under the current law, abortion is only allowed in the cases of rape or incest or if the woman’s life or health is at risk. A new restriction took effect under the previous conservative government removing a previous right to abortion in the case of fetal deformities. That sparked massive street protests.
Women often cannot obtain abortions even in cases that are allowed under the law. There have been reported cases of pregnant women who died after medical emergencies because hospitals prioritized saving the fetus. Some doctors, particularly in conservative areas, refuse to perform abortions altogether, citing their conscience.
In cases of rape or incest, a woman must report the crime to the prosecutor’s office to obtain the permission from a court for the procedure. In practice women never use this route because of the stigma attached and because the legal procedure can take a long time, abortion rights activists say.
Many women, though, do have abortions, primarily using abortion pills sent from abroad or by traveling to another country.
The law does not criminalize a woman who has an abortion but it is a crime to assist a woman having an abortion. In one prominent case, an activist was convicted for giving a woman abortion pills.
“I can only promise that within the framework of the existing law we will do everything to make women suffer less, to make abortion as safe as possible and accessible when a woman has to make such a decision. So that people who get involved in helping a woman are not prosecuted,” Tusk said.
veryGood! (135)
Related
- The Bachelorette's Desiree Hartsock Gives Birth, Welcomes Baby No. 3 With Chris Siegfried
- Bookstore lover inspires readers across America | The Excerpt
- These Chunky Chic Jewelry Styles From Frank Darling Are Fall’s Must-Have Fashion Staple to Wear on Repeat
- 13-year-old arrested after 'heroic' staff stop possible school shooting in Wisconsin
- Tua Tagovailoa tackle: Dolphins QB laughs off taking knee to head vs. Rams on 'MNF'
- 13-year-old arrested after 'heroic' staff stop possible school shooting in Wisconsin
- Zac Taylor on why Bengals went for two-point conversion vs. Ravens: 'Came here to win'
- What to watch: We're mad about Mikey
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a long record of promoting anti-vaccine views
- New York bank manager sentenced to prison for stealing over $200K from dead customer: DOJ
Ranking
- MLS playoff teams set: Road to MLS Cup continues with conference semifinals
- Cillian Murphy returns with 'Small Things Like These' after 'fever dream' of Oscar win
- Money in NCAA sports has changed life for a few. For many athletes, college degree remains the prize
- Opinion: Trump win means sports will again be gigantic (and frightening) battleground
- 'SNL' stars jokingly declare support for Trump, Dana Carvey plays Elon Musk
- About 1,100 workers at Toledo, Ohio, Jeep plant face layoffs as company tries to reduce inventory
- Send in the clones: 2 black-footed ferret babies born to cloned mom for the first time
- The 2025 Grammy Award nominations are about to arrive. Here’s what to know
Recommendation
-
‘Heretic’ and Hugh Grant debut with $11 million, but ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ tops box office again
-
How Harry Hamlin’s Pasta Sauce Transformed Real Housewives Drama into a Holiday Gift That Gives Back
-
How Trump's victory could affect the US economy
-
Nigerian man arrested upon landing in Houston in alleged romance fraud that netted millions
-
Horoscopes Today, November 10, 2024
-
Watch these classic animal welfare stories in National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week
-
Brianna Chickenfry LaPaglia Accuses Ex Zach Bryan of Abuse
-
Ranked voting will determine the winner of Maine’s 2nd Congressional District