On Tuesday, the Sejm voted to adopt a bill easing Poland’s abortion regulations, introducing a partial decriminalization of terminations performed with the consent of the woman. Lawmakers in the lower house also approved legislation allowing pregnancy termination in cases of severe fetal abnormalities, a measure Urszula Pasławska said would restore the abortion compromise that existed prior to the Constitutional Tribunal’s 2020 ruling.
The Collapse of Historical Postures in Parliament
Urszula Pasławska, vice-president of PSL, pointedly remarked on “Gość Wydarzeń” that while numerous Law and Justice (PiS) politicians had previously apologized for the 2020 Tribunal verdict, they chose a different path during this week’s division. In yesterday’s vote they swallowed their own tongues because they voted against the abortion compromise that functioned for 30 years,
Pasławska stated. Asked by program host Marek Tejchman in relation to the widely commented decision by the Lviv Regional Council, which declared 2027 as the year of the UPA and Roman Shukhevych, Pasławska addressed the development.
Tensions within the governing coalition involve the Left applying pressure on its coalition partners by threatening to withhold support for a bill removing the limit on the number of terms for presidents, mayors, and village heads unless the abortion measures moved forward. At the same time, Pasławska argued that the right wing of the Polish political spectrum is currently locked in an intense contest to capture voters by positioning themselves even further to the right than the Confederation of Braun.
Grassroots Frustration and the Shadow of Presidential Vetoes
While lawmakers debate strategy inside the parliament, advocacy groups outside the legislature have expressed profound frustration with the pace and scope of reform. Representatives from the Aborcyjny Dream Team stated that conducting votes two days before the “Red card for abortion” national protests amounts to hypocrisy. Activists warn that incremental steps fail to protect individuals in urgent need of medical support, noting that activists continue to fill the roles of the state and are lonely in this, also financially. In 2026, the organization aided nearly 49,000 people and allocated almost one million zlotys toward their support, while the National Health Fund (NFZ) reports that 573 pregnancy termination procedures were performed in Polish hospitals during the first half of 2026.
Lawmakers anticipate that President Karol Nawrocki will veto the regulations, transforming the parliamentary votes into a calculated positioning exercise ahead of upcoming elections rather than a guaranteed pathway to immediate legal change. Meanwhile, the government insists it remains open to dialogue, even as coalition partners manage internal ultimatums and conflicting legislative agendas. Although she was previously convicted for providing abortion pills to a woman in a difficult situation, that sentence was later overturned and sent back for re-examination, bringing renewed attention to the ongoing struggle over reproductive rights.
