Controversy in Poland over call for abortion ban
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
04.04.2016 16:01
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Controversy in Poland over call for abortion ban
Thousands have protested in a number of Polish cities against a call for a complete ban on abortion that is supported by the prime minister and the Church. Men as well as women took to the streets.
Demonstration on Sunday against a possible complete ban on abortion. The protest was held outside parliament in Warsaw. Photo: PAP/Jakub Kamiński
Opposition parties have also spoken out against a total ban, pointing to the fact that a fragile compromise on abortion was reached in Poland in 1993. Poland's current abortion laws are among the most stringent in Europe.
Rafał Grupiński, of the opposition Civic Platform (PO) party, said: "We will defend the compromise that was made in the nineties. Launching another civil war is absurd, even more so because the tide could turn the other way in a couple of years. I am really surprised that the episcopate wants to destroy the fragile balance.”
Prime Minister Beata Szydło has said that if the issue is taken up by parliament, MPs in ruling party Law and Justice will not be pressured into voting for a total ban.
Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Gowin said that “each MP will vote as their conscience dictates.”
But the Polish Episcopate has argued that there cannot be a compromise. Bishops cited the sixth of the Ten Commandments, which states: 'Thou shalt not kill.'
Tomasz Ferenc reports.