Politics · Other · 2 hrs ago
Polish parliament passes two bills to ease abortion restrictions
Poland’s parliament passed two bills to ease abortion restrictions on Tuesday.
The proposals are backed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s governing coalition, but President Karol Nawrocki is expected to veto both.
Under current law, abortion is allowed only when a pregnancy results from a crime such as rape or incest, or threatens the pregnant person’s life or health.
One bill would partly decriminalize abortion and remove penalties for helping someone obtain one; the other would restore abortion as a legal option in cases of severe fetal abnormalities.
Those cases accounted for 98% of legal abortions before a 2020 court ruling removed that ground.
Public hospitals recorded 573 abortions in the first half of 2026, down from 851 in all of last year.
The president’s decision will determine whether either bill becomes law.
Poland’s parliament passed two bills on October 20 to ease the country’s abortion restrictions.
One bill would partially decriminalize abortion and remove penalties for helping someone obtain one.
The other would restore severe fetal abnormalities as legal grounds for abortion.
The bills were backed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s governing coalition, but President Karol Nawrocki is expected to veto them.
Abortion in Poland is currently legal only when a pregnancy results from a crime or threatens the pregnant person’s life or health.
- Who
- Poland’s parliament passed the bills, which were backed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s governing coalition.
- What
- It approved two bills to ease abortion restrictions. President Karol Nawrocki is expected to veto them.
- When
- October 20, 2026.
- Where
- Poland.
- Why
- The bills aim to liberalize abortion access, including by partially decriminalizing abortion and reversing a 2020 court ruling.
Tusk’s governing coalition
President Karol Nawrocki
The bills
Tusk’s governing coalition
The coalition backed two bills to ease abortion restrictions.
President Karol Nawrocki
Nawrocki is expected to veto both bills.
Legal grounds for abortion
Tusk’s governing coalition
One bill would restore severe fetal abnormalities as grounds for abortion.
President Karol Nawrocki
Nawrocki is affiliated with a party that supported the 2020 ruling barring abortion on that ground.
Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal ruled that severe fetal abnormalities were not legal grounds for abortion.
Tusk’s government had promised to liberalize abortion laws before its election victory.
Poland’s public hospitals performed 573 abortions, according to the National Health Fund.
Parliament passed two bills to ease abortion restrictions.
- First bill
- 217 votes in favor, 213 against and three abstentions
- Second bill
- 233 votes in favor, 203 against and one abstention
- Current legal grounds
- Pregnancy resulting from a crime, or a threat to the pregnant person’s life or health
- Public hospital abortions
- 573 in the first half of 2026
- Previous-year public hospital abortions
- 851 in 2025