Polish lawmakers vote to move forward with work on lifting a near-total abortion ban
By VANESSA GERA
Associated Press
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish lawmakers have voted to continue work on proposals to lift a near-total ban on abortion, a highly divisive issue in the traditionally Roman Catholic country. Poland has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. Members of the lower house of parliament, the Sejm, voted on Friday to work on four separate bills. Two of them propose legalizing abortion through the 12th week of pregnancy, in line with European norms. One plan proposes decriminalizing assistance for a woman who terminates a pregnancy. And a fourth would keep a ban in most cases but allows abortions in cases of fetal defects, a right that was eliminated by a 2020 court ruling.