Polish lawmakers overwhelmingly rejected a proposed abortion ban Wednesday, just weeks after leaders of the ruling party signaled support for the measure.
Pro-life activists got parliament to consider the bill by gathering 450,000 signatures on a petition, and after initial review it was approved by ruling party leaders and moved to the next legislative stage. But those leaders backed down Wednesday, and the measure was rejected in a 372-76 vote.
Poland already has some of the strongest restrictions on abortion in the world — women can legally end their unborn child’s life only if it threatens the mother’s health, is the product of rape or abuse, or has a severe abnormality. But women and doctors who participate in abortions for any reason except life of the mother could face up to five years in prison under the new law.
Political leaders tried to justify their reversal on the ban by saying they take issue with the specific legislation proposed by the pro-life group, although they support the idea generally. “This is not the right way to proceed,” the ruling Law and Justice party leader said following the vote.
The reversal followed a week of protests that culminated in about 100,000 women donning black outfits and marching about Poland “mourning” the potential loss of a woman’s “right” to kill her unborn child. Abortionists credited the protests with swaying public opinion and the minds of those politicians.
“The protest was bigger than anyone expected,” activist Agnieszka Graff, told The Guardian. “People were astonished. Warsaw was swarming with women in black.”
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