Poland – The Polish Parliament rejected this Thursday, October 6, the draft law from citizens’ initiative aimed at banning abortion unless it is the result of medical care aiming to save the pregnant woman’s life. This project had led several demonstrations, on Monday, October 3, the “Black Monday” and a call to strike of women.
Stop Abortion is the committee that proposed the law on September 22, involving a total ban on abortion, even in cases of rape, incest or fetal malformation, and except in cases of medical danger for the pregnant woman . Abortion could then be liable to five years of imprisonment for the pregnant woman and the doctor. Also the proposal implied that the state would pay aids in case the child was disabled, the result of a rape or incest. The proposal was signed by half a million people. 100,000 signatures would have been enough for the proposal to be read by MPs.
According to the journalist Olivier Bault, on Wednesday, October 5, the Commission of Justice and Human Rights of the Polish Parliament decided, on a motion from a member of the PiS, to recommend rejection of the citizen bill in full, disappointing a large part of its electorate. However that the PiS will not impose voting discipline in this area.
Thursday, October 6, the Polish parliament rejected the bill. 352 deputies voted against, 58 voted for and 18 abstained.
Meanwhile, a draft amendment to the existing law is proposed by Senators PiS to specifically exclude trisomy 21 of the reasons allowing abortion.
