By Olivier Bault.
Poland – On Thursday the Polish parliament rejected by 352 votes against 58 and 18 abstentions the bill of the Civic Committee “Stop abortion”, designed to comprehensively ban abortion except in cases of danger for the life of the pregnant woman. Thus, sending the draft in committee on 23 September law was hypocrisy, since the Committee of Justice and Human Rights recommended the rejection of this law without debate and members have complied the following day.
Big disappointment, therefore, in the Polish pro-life circles who thought they had elected on 25 October, a government more responsive to the protection of life than the last one. If the PiS does not improve this protection, especially for children with disabilities and especially those affected by trisomy 21, which constitute the largest group of victims of the current law, some of his constituents will probably remember this in time.
While some deputies and senators of the Conservative party of Jaroslaw Kaczynski ensure that it will be an amendment to the current law that allows abortions in cases of rape or incest (up to the 12th week of pregnancy), if there is a danger for the physical health or life of the mother (until the child could not survive outside the womb) and in case of serious illness or incurable malformation of the child (up to the 24th week pregnancy). An amendment that would explicitly exclude trisomy 21 from the third case.
But this promise was absent from thw commitments made on Thursday by Prime Minister Beata Szydło. Certainly useful commitments (they were included in the citizen draft law citizen), but insufficient: by the end of the year, the Polish government will present a program of support for families and pregnant women who decide to unborn child despite their disabilities. Second period, that of securing the necessary funds from the 2017 budget commitment. And finally, the one to lead a great national campaign for life, to encourage families and doctors to give a chance to children with disabilities.
Meanwhile, it was learned on Thursday the withdrawal of the bill to regulate more strictly in vitro fertilization. Poland will retain in this area until further notice, the very liberal law passed by the previous parliament, and it is a disappointment for most of the PiS electorate.
Translated from French by the Visegrád Post.
Originally published on Présent.
