Thousands Rally Across Poland Demanding Legal and Accessible Abortion Rights

Thousands of individuals have taken to the streets in over 20 Polish cities and towns to demand access to free and legal abortion services. The demonstrations marked the sixth anniversary of a near-total abortion ban enacted by Poland’s highest court. Currently, abortion in Poland is only permissible in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother's life or health is at risk.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government had pledged to liberalize abortion laws prior to their 2023 election victory, but progress has been hindered by internal coalition disagreements. These protests occur just days after parliament passed two bills aimed at easing abortion restrictions in the predominantly Catholic nation. However, these bills are expected to face a veto from Poland's conservative President Karol Nawrocki.

Zofia Marcinek of the Abortion Dream Team, a reproductive rights advocacy group in Warsaw, described the timing of these draft laws, a year before the next parliamentary election, as mere "token gestures" rather than a genuine reform effort. She suggested that the liberal government is aware these laws will not survive President Nawrocki's veto and is attempting to create an illusion of action to secure women's support in the upcoming elections.

In the capital, Warsaw, approximately 1,000 protesters braved the rain to demonstrate in front of parliament. Emilia Niemiec, a 36-year-old manager at the AboTak abortion center, which offers resources like pills and support for pharmacological abortions, stated, "Over the last six years, nothing has really changed."

Restrictive abortion laws have been in effect in Poland since 1993, with Polish women consistently advocating for legalization. Nationwide protests, known as 'Black Protests,' took place in 2016, with women wearing black as a symbol of dissent. Instead of being relaxed, Poland's abortion laws were further tightened in 2020 by the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government, banning abortions for fetuses with congenital defects.

Despite the strict laws, abortions remain common in Poland, with most performed at home using pills obtained from abroad. While women undergoing abortions, including pharmacological ones, are not subject to criminal prosecution, individuals assisting them, such as doctors and family members, can face legal consequences.

Data from the National Health Fund indicates that Polish hospitals performed 573 abortions in the first half of 2026, an increase from 452 in the entirety of 2022, before Tusk's administration took power. However, activists estimate that tens of thousands of abortions occur annually outside of formal hospital settings.

Organizers of the recent protests accuse the Tusk government of betraying Polish women. They argue that Tusk's assertions of improved abortion access under his administration have, in fact, made obtaining care more difficult for some women. Marcinek commented, "The government's promises act as a type of disinformation." She elaborated that when women hear the prime minister claim abortion access is adequate, they may delay seeking help, only to find themselves in complicated and costly situations when they eventually require assistance, often at a late stage.