Poland Women Protest Across 20 Cities, Demand Free Legal Abortions

Women across more than 20 cities and towns in Poland staged protests on Thursday, October 22, demanding free and legal abortion access and accusing Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government of failing to deliver promised reforms.

The demonstrations came two days after Poland’s lower house of parliament passed two bills seeking to ease the country’s strict abortion laws. However, campaigners say the measures fall short of their demands and are likely to face a veto from conservative President Karol Nawrocki.

Why Women Are Protesting Across Poland

The protests reflect growing frustration among reproductive rights activists over the government’s failure to fulfil its 2023 election promise to liberalise abortion laws.

Zofia Marcinek of the Warsaw-based Abortion Dream Team described the recently approved bills as “token gestures”, arguing that the government knew the proposals were unlikely to survive a presidential veto.

Activists want abortion care to be legally available, safe and covered by public healthcare funding. They also oppose the criminalisation of people who help women access abortion services.

What Do Poland’s New Abortion Bills Propose?

The two bills passed by parliament on October 20 propose allowing abortions in cases of foetal abnormalities and reducing criminal penalties for people who assist women seeking abortions.

The proposals represent a limited change rather than a broad legalisation of abortion. They are expected to face opposition from Nawrocki, who has resisted efforts to liberalise the law.

Tusk’s pro-European coalition came to power in 2023 after promising to reform abortion rules. However, disagreements within the governing alliance and opposition from conservative lawmakers have stalled wider reforms, including a proposal to allow abortion on request up to the 12th week of pregnancy.

Poland Has One Of Europe’s Strictest Abortion Laws

Poland’s abortion restrictions date back to 1993. The law became significantly stricter after a 2020 Constitutional Tribunal ruling removed foetal abnormalities as a legal ground for terminating a pregnancy.

Abortions are now permitted in limited circumstances, including when pregnancy results from rape or incest, or when it threatens the woman’s life or health. The restrictions have made access to legal abortion difficult for many women.

The 2020 ruling triggered mass demonstrations across the country, with women taking to the streets in what became known as the Women’s Strike movement. Campaigners have continued to demand wider reproductive rights since then.

Activists Say Women Still Struggle To Access Abortion Care

Despite the restrictions, abortions continue to take place in Poland, with many women obtaining abortion pills from abroad and using them at home. Women who undergo abortions are generally not subject to imprisonment, but people who assist them can face criminal prosecution.

Activists say the gap between official claims of improved access and the reality faced by women seeking care can lead to delays, higher costs and greater difficulties in obtaining medical assistance.

In Warsaw, the Abortion Dream Team opened a support centre in 2025 where women can receive information and take abortion pills with assistance from activists. In September 2026, the group also introduced an abortion-pill dispensing locker, known as “Abortomat”, to help women obtain medication more quickly and discreetly.

Tusk Government Faces Pressure Over Unfulfilled Promises

The protests put renewed pressure on Tusk’s government to deliver the reproductive rights reforms it promised during the 2023 election campaign.

Campaigners argue that limited legislative changes will not resolve the difficulties faced by women who need abortion care. They are calling for broader legal reform, protection for those providing assistance and access to abortion services through the public healthcare system.

With the latest bills facing a possible presidential veto, the immediate prospects for wider reform remain uncertain. Activists say they will continue to press the government to fulfil its commitments.