The Polish opposition sparked discussion by announcing a potential arrangement with Finland that would allow Polish women to access abortion services free of charge there. Politicians Krzysztof Śmiszek and Robert Biedroń shared celebratory photos on social media, echoing Valentine’s Day posts and including Finland’s prime minister Sanna Marin in the messages.
“Important Delegation”
A delegation from Lewica traveled to Finland. Alongside Biedroń and Śmiszek, Beata Maciejewska, deputy head of the Lewica club, and Wanda Nowicka, a Member of Parliament, were part of the group, among others.
The group asserted that there is an agreement on free abortion for Polish women in Finland. The left framed the issue as a clear human rights achievement, suggesting that legal abortion access could soon be within reach for Polish residents in Finland.
Śmiszek highlighted a moment from the trip with Biedroń and Marin, while other delegation members did not appear in public posts. Observers on social media noted uneven visibility of the other delegates in the online narrative.
Many Lewica members were on the plane to meet the Finnish prime minister and take photos. Some public figures, however, noted that domestic travel options, such as public transport, and personal travel limits appeared at odds with the social media enthusiasm surrounding the Finland visit.
— a Twitter user wrote on Wanda Nowicka’s profile.
Unmarked by the Prime Minister of Finland…
On the Finnish prime minister’s official profile, there is no listing of Śmiszek, Biedroń, or other members of the Polish delegation, and there is no explicit reference to a notable Polish visit.
Comments reflected a sense of irony about the visibility of the Polish delegation, suggesting Marin did not acknowledge the encounter in her online space.
… and throw words to the wind
Regarding the promised agreement, Śmiszek framed human rights guarantees in the broader context of unborn life and cautioned that a call for immediate universal abortion access might be premature or inappropriate within the Finnish legal framework.
As noted by the left, finalizing an accord on free abortion for Polish women in Finland would depend on the next term of the Finnish government, essentially contingent on Sanna Marin’s cabinet remaining in office. This nuance did not escape Twitter users, who offered mixed reactions.
One commenter argued that there was no binding agreement, noting that the Finnish prime minister could offer guidance on navigating Finnish abortion law rather than delivering a ready-made solution. The social media dialogue framed the visit as aspirational but not yet a concrete policy outcome, with some describing the public rhetoric around free abortion as a political maneuver rather than an established pledge.
READ ALSO: Controversy surrounds Biedroń’s trip to Finland to advocate for free abortion for Polish women. An MEP praised the development: “There is an agreement.” Reactions from others varied.
Source: wPolityce