In September this year, a 30-year-old Polish woman died of sepsis. Doctors did not perform a life-saving abortion while waiting for the fetus to die due to restrictions on legal abortions in Poland. In a resolution adopted on Thursday, 373 votes in favor, 124 against and 55 abstentions, MEPs are asking the Polish government to ensure that more women in Poland will not die as a result of this restrictive law.
Access to safe, legal and free abortion services must be guaranteed
MEPs strongly condemn the unlawful ruling of the Constitutional Court of October 22, 2020 imposing an almost complete ban on abortion. MEPs regret that women have to seek unsafe abortions because of this restrictive legislation. Women must travel abroad for an abortion or terminate their pregnancy against their will, including in the event of fatal fetal damage. Parliament therefore calls on Member States to work together more effectively to facilitate cross-border access to abortion, for example by granting Polish women access to free and safe abortion in other national health systems.
Stressing that the abortion ruling is another example of a political takeover of the judiciary and a systemic breakdown of the rule of law in Poland, MEPs ask the Council to include this issue in the examination of the rule of law in Poland by expanding the scope of the hearings.
On October 22, 2020, the Polish Constitutional Tribunal ruled that the provision of the 1993 Act on Termination of Pregnancy is inconsistent with the Constitution. The act allowed abortions to be performed in cases where prenatal examination or other medical reasons indicated a high probability of a severe and irreversible defect of the fetus or an incurable disease threatening the life of the fetus. This entailed a de facto ban on abortion, as the vast majority of legal abortions in Poland were based on these grounds.
Over the last year, Abortion Without Borders has helped 34 women in Poland gain access to abortion
In the last 10 months, only 300 Polish women benefited from abortion in hospitals due to the threat to their life and health. Over the last year, Abortion Without Borders has helped 34 women in Poland gain access to abortion. This is only a fraction of the total number of Polish women who need support in accessing this service.
Source: European Parliament
