The question of abortion is unlikely to feature in the coalition agreement, given the opposition from one party partner. The plan to amend the law on termination of pregnancy will not become a government project within this framework. The left will advance a parliamentary bill in the Sejm and push for broad public support, according to Anna Maria Żukowska of the left during the first program on Polish Radio.
Only a day earlier, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, head of PSL, was asked on Radio Zet whether KO and the left intend to introduce the right to abortion up to the twelfth week and whether abortion would be part of the coalition agreement. He replied that ideological issues should never appear in the coalition agreement.
Left bends
On this point, Żukowska did not align with the idea of embedding ideological issues in the coalition contract.
Asked whether the coalition agreement would also cover changes to the abortion law, the New Left leader gave a conciliatory reply.
She noted that the amendment to the termination of pregnancy law would not be a government project, and thus would not officially belong to the coalition. It would be a matter brought forward by the party and pursued through a so-called discrepancy protocol, which records issues that are not government actions but on which the party seeks to report its stance.
In Żukowska’s words, the project to change the abortion law would not be presented as a government initiative. The Left would submit a bill and seek support in the Sejm as well as public backing, she added, expressing optimism about obtaining it.
Żukowska also confirmed that the New Left would demand that the new coalition agreement be accessible to the public, ensuring transparency beyond internal party discussions.
Abortion compromise
The liberalization of Poland’s abortion laws remains a core issue for the New Left. Katarzyna Kotula, a member of parliament from this formation, stated the day after the parliamentary elections that the Civic Coalition aligned with left-wing opinions on the matter. Later, in an interview with Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, Kotula indicated the possibility of concessions in the push for liberalization, describing them as a “compromise.”
Kotula also pointed out that voters with left-leaning views had supported other parties such as the Third Way through strategic voting, underscoring the broader electoral dynamics at play rather than a single party monopoly on policy direction.
The rights of employees are also excluded
In the discussion about restricting Sunday trading, the New Left MP noted a willingness to support restricted hours, but also acknowledged the coalition’s liberal-leaning majority would make it difficult to push through a stricter agenda without compromising the broader agreement. As a result, the party would avoid putting this issue at risk of collapse, prioritizing stability within the coalition.
Żukowska predicted the return of Sunday shopping in the near term while insisting that the party would continue to champion workers’ wage demands and better working conditions.
READ ALSO:
– Will the opposition argue on abortion? Kosiniak-Kamysz: No ideological issues should be part of the coalition agreement
– It’s already started! Żukowska debates with Kosiniak-Kamysz about abortion in the coalition agreement. How are the farmers doing?
pn/PAP/TVP info
Source: wPolityce