Members of parliament who vote to allow abortion are “committing a grave sin and thus cannot receive holy communion”, the head of the Catholic church in Poland has warned.
His remarks come after all of Poland’s main opposition parties – most of whom have leaders who are practising Catholics – have expressed support for ending the current near-total ban on abortion — as have 70% of the public, according to two polls.
Donald Tusk, leader of the centrist Civic Platform (PO), the largest opposition party, has called for the introduction of abortion on demand and solely up to the woman up to the 12th week of pregnancy. He has also required that all PO election candidates support that position. Leaders of the centre-right Third Way (Trzecia Droga) coalition, have not gone that far but still favour a return to the abortion law from before the TK ruling. However, they want the issue to be decided by a national referendum.
The Left has proposed policies to improve women’s safety, including abortion on demand, changing the legal definition of rape and paid menstrual leave. They also want to remove the conscience clause that allows doctors to refuse abortions on religious grounds.
SOURCE: Notes from Poland, 22 June 2023