Polish parliament votes to ease strict abortion laws

The Polish parliament voted on Tuesday, 21 October 2026, to loosen the country's restrictive abortion laws. A majority of deputies in the Sejm approved two bills proposed by the government's centre-left and liberal-conservative alliance. This move follows years of mass protests and was a central campaign promise for the coalition that has led the country since 2023.

The first bill, passed with 233 votes in favour and 203 against, would allow abortions if there is a high probability of a life-threatening illness or a severe and irreparable malformation of the foetus. According to Tagesschau and taz, this regulation was in place until the end of 2020, when it was overturned and declared unconstitutional by the country's highest judges. Taz reports that these constitutional judges were, in part, unlawfully appointed.

A second bill, which passed with a narrower majority of 217 to 213, seeks to partially decriminalise abortion and the provision of help. Taz reports that currently, friends, acquaintances, and family members can face up to three years in prison for assisting with abortions, including arranging appointments, ordering abortion pills, or driving patients to clinics abroad. Under current law, the pregnant person themselves does not face court.

Institutional hurdles and the threat of a veto

Despite the parliamentary vote, the path to implementation faces significant obstacles. The bills must first be discussed by the Senate, where they are expected to be approved, before reaching President Karol Nawrocki. Tagesschau reports that a veto from the president, who is supported by the conservative PiS party, is considered likely.

Nawrocki's office stated he would examine the laws "objectively and substantively," while referencing his previous statements regarding the protection of unborn life. If a veto is exercised, pregnant people with high-risk pregnancies would continue to have to travel abroad for medical care or face the risk of death from complications.

Criticism from the women's movement

The legislative progress has been met with mixed reactions from activists. In our assessment, while the vote marks a shift from the previous national-conservative PiS government's regime—which only allowed abortion in cases of rape, incest, or risk to the mother's life—it does not represent full reproductive autonomy.

According to taz, many women accuse the current government of waiting too long to introduce these initiatives. The women's organisation "Women's Strike" has highlighted the high maternal mortality rate in Poland, arguing that these deaths could have been prevented by timely abortions.

Furthermore, critics mentioned by taz argue that the government has not discussed a three-month limit solution, which would grant women more self-determination. Taz notes that such a limit is standard in almost all of Europe, except for Poland and Malta.

This piece was generated automatically by an AI model from the sources listed below. It has not been reviewed by a human editor.

Sources

• Polens Parlament für Lockerung des Abtreibungsrechts — Tagesschau
• Schwangerschaftsabbruch in Polen: Polens Parlament liberalisiert das Abtreibungsrecht — taz