Parliament Approves Nonprescription Access to Morning-After Pill for Youths Over 15
The chamber completed a vote on an amendment to the Pharmaceutical Law that enables the morning-after pill, ulipristal acetate, to be available without a prescription for individuals aged over 15. A total of 224 deputies supported the measure, 196 opposed it, and one abstained. Earlier, the Sejm had rejected Confederation’s bid to defeat the bill in its entirety. The decision triggered laughter from the governing coalition led by Tusk and mockery from the rotating marshal during the proceedings.
Confusion During the Confederation Motion Vote
Before the bill as a whole was assessed, the Sejm dismissed the Confederation’s attempt to reject the legislation in its entirety. Minority motions were also rejected. The outcome of the Confederation motion sparked a chorus of laughter among coalition members aligned with Tusk. It emerged that some MPs from Law and Justice intentionally supported the rejection, even as a PiS member, Szymon Hołownia, faced questions about the conduct of the vote. Barbara Bartuć spoke to the rotating marshal to clarify that PiS MPs acted with full knowledge during the vote.
According to Bartuć, the motion now under consideration was not a PiS initiative, and the preceding vote represented a fully informed decision by the PiS club. It was acknowledged that the House had taken note of this information, and there was a request not to degrade PiS MPs.
Hołownia responded with a remark that drew laughter from the coalition members present, as the exchange continued in a lively tenor.
PiS Stance Against the Bill
The overall vote on the law saw 224 deputies in favor, 196 against, and one abstention. The amendment earned backing from the entire Civic Coalition bloc, the Left, Poland 2050, and 24 deputies from the Polish People’s Party. Opposing the measure were 170 MPs from Law and Justice, seven from PSL, two from Kukiz’15, and the entire Konfederacja group. Katarzyna Sójka, a PiS MP, abstained from the ballot.
The voting outcome is noted as a snapshot of party alignment during the session, with the final tally recorded for posterity by the Sejm. The image of the vote is often cited in discussions about party strategy and legislative priorities.
Reads also highlighted a summary of the day’s parliamentary activity, including the Health Committee’s approval of the amendment and commentary from MPs and analysts about the implications for minors and personal autonomy.
— The Health Committee endorsed the amendment concerning the morning-after pill. Sójka raised a controversial comparison, noting the 15-year-old may face questions about autonomy in other contexts, like SIM cards, which sparked further debate.
— Critics questioned whether such changes could be a source of pride for the body, while supporters argued for greater accessibility to reproductive health options starting April 1, asserting that the morning-after pill would be available without a prescription when appropriate.
— An extended debate unfolded in the Sejm about safety and personal rights, with experts weighing in on the relationship between safety considerations and abortion policy and how these issues influence public opinion.
In summary, the day’s proceedings reflected a tense interplay of party loyalties, procedural questions, and broader debates about health care access and reproductive rights in the legislative arena. The coverage synthesizes parliamentary actions with reactions from lawmakers and commentators alike. The record remains a reference point for ongoing discussions about policy direction in the health sector and the role of preventive medicine in public health strategy. The sequence of events and the subsequent interpretations are drawn from parliamentary records and contemporary reporting about the session. (Source: wPolityce)