The Polish government on Wednesday, the 24th of January, approved a bill to make emergency contraceptive pills more accessible, reversing a restriction introduced by the previous nationalist government in 2017 and relaxing a near-total ban on abortion, beginning to fulfil promises made by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, reports Reuters.
The 2017 legislation, passed by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, restricted access to the so-called “morning-after” pill, which was allowed to be sold without a prescription in 2015 following a European Commission decision.
Poland’s ruling coalition has promised to reverse some of the laws passed by the former PiS government, including one of Europe’s toughest abortion rules, in a bid to bring it into line with European Union (EU) democratic standards.
Prime Minister Tusk announced at a press briefing on Wednesday that work on the emergency contraceptive pill has been finalised and a draft will be submitted to Parliament. Tusk had said that
emergency contraception would be available over the counter for women over 15 years of age
and expressed the hope that it would be supported by Parliament and approved by the President.
Tusk added that his party was ready to present a bill to Parliament “within hours” that would legalise abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy.
During its 2015-2023 rule, PiS, with the support of the Polish Catholic Church, also ended state funding for medical or in vitro fertilisation (IVF), while in 2020 a ruling by the country’s top court imposed a near-total ban on terminations of pregnancy, sparking widespread protests across the country.
Also read: Poland’s new government stops news channel broadcasting amid reforms
Follow us on Facebook and X!