English Section

Commotion in Polish parliament as tempers fray over abortion law

27.10.2020 12:51
Parliament security guards were called in to the Polish lower house on Tuesday after a protest by left-wing MPs opposed to tightening the country’s abortion laws.
Leftist MP Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus (centre) during the protest in the Polish parliament on Tuesday.
Leftist MP Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus (centre) during the protest in the Polish parliament on Tuesday. Photo: PAP/Piotr Nowak

Commotion broke out after left-wing deputy Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus made a motion for parliament to debate a bill drawn up by leftists proposing easier access to abortion.

A group of left-wing women MPs crowded around the rostrum, then took up position near the places where conservative MPs sit in the chamber. The female opposition deputies waved banners saying “Legal abortion" and shouted "This is war!"

A conservative Deputy Speaker summoned parliament security guards, who cordoned off the protesting opposition MPs from the benches where conservative lawmakers sit, state news agency PAP reported.

The commotion came in the wake of demonstrations across the country against a court ruling which signalled a tightening of Poland’s abortion laws, already among the toughest in the European Union.

The street protests were sparked by a decision on Thursday by the country’s Constitutional Tribunal that abortion of a malformed foetus violates the constitution.

(pk)

Source: PAP