The first move in the abortion regulation debate would be to revert to the pre ruling status quo, followed by a public referendum on potential changes to the law, a plan outlined by Szymon Hołownia, the Marshal of the Sejm.
On Friday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk indicated in interviews with major national outlets that the ruling coalition will submit a bill expanding safe abortion access up to the twelfth week under specific conditions.
When asked about the prospect, the Prime Minister noted that the coalition would push the proposal through the Sejm if he could not secure the backing of the Marshal or other key coalition figures for a broader legal framework.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister stressed the likelihood of moving the bill through parliament even without full consensus among all coalition leaders.
Hołownia responded that he would comment on the exact text once it is visible to him, adding that restoring the status quo described in a prior compromise would be only the initial step in a longer process.
He suggested that this approach is unlikely to be vetoed by President Andrzej Duda, while also noting that the status quo alone would not satisfy many stakeholders.
According to Hołownia, a subsequent referendum should be part of the process, and coalition partners should shape the laws that would follow this initial step as part of broader coalition agreements.
What would satisfy Hołownia?
Hołownia stated that real progress would require a concrete bill restoring the pre‑judgment framework that took effect after the Constitutional Court ruling and addressing the criticized judgment itself. Only then would he consider the changes meaningful.
Poland’s abortion rules, in place since 1993, were altered by a Constitutional Court ruling in October 2020. The prior regime, known as the abortion compromise, allowed termination in cases of severe fetal impairment or life-threatening conditions under carefully defined circumstances. The court’s decision declared one key component unconstitutional, triggering widespread protests and ultimately changing the legal landscape in early 2021.
Under the current framework, abortion is permitted in two cases: pregnancies resulting from rape and when the woman’s life or health is endangered. A third ground, permitting abortion when prenatal tests show a high probability of serious and irreversible fetal damage, was struck down by the Constitutional Court in October 2022.
Last November, two left‑leaning proposals to liberalize abortion regulations were submitted to the Sejm. One would partially decriminalize abortion and assistance, while the other would allow termination up to the end of the twelfth week of gestation.
The ongoing debate continues to shape parliamentary and public discussion around Poland’s abortion policy and the path toward potential reforms.