Polish protesters gather as ruling restricting abortion set to take effect

"No law-abiding government should respect this ruling," Borys Budka, leader of Poland's largest opposition party, the centrist Civic Platform, told reporters. Access to abortion has declined even without the legislative curbs as more doctors refuse to perform them on religious grounds and many women seek abortions abroad.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in central Warsaw and other cities across Poland on Wednesday after the government announced it would put into effect a constitutional court decision banning terminations of pregnancies with foetal defects. The Oct. 22 ruling had led to weeks of nationwide protests in the predominantly Catholic country, forcing the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government to delay its implementation.

The government would now focus on assisting parents of disabled children, officials said, although PiS and its predecessors have been accused by critics of not doing enough in that regard. "The state can no longer take a life away only because someone is sick, disabled, in poor health," PiS lawmaker Bartlomiej Wroblewski said.

The government information centre said the court's verdict would be published in its official gazette - a step necessary for it to take effect - later on Wednesday. The new restrictions move Poland further away from the European mainstream. In power since 2015, PiS has implemented several policy decisions such as ending state funding for in vitro fertilisation.

The party denies opposition criticism that it had influenced the court, called the Constitutional Tribunal. It is one of the judicial bodies PiS overhauled during reforms that the European Union said has politicised the courts. "No law-abiding government should respect this ruling," Borys Budka, leader of Poland's largest opposition party, the centrist Civic Platform, told reporters.

Access to abortion has declined even without the legislative curbs as more doctors refuse to perform them on religious grounds and many women seek abortions abroad. Once the ruling is in place, abortions will be permitted only in cases of rape and incest, and when the mother's life or health is endangered. Doctors performing illegal abortions in Poland face jail.

"This idiotic ruling will not prevent abortions," said Cezary Jasiński, a 23-year-old student, standing in front of the Constitutional Tribunal building in central Warsaw. "But for every woman who will experience pain because of this ruling, or will be forced to give birth to a child with Down's Syndrome, they (court judges) will be to blame."

Abortion rights activities called for opponents of the ruling to gather in the streets across Poland following the government's announcement, which had been expected for weeks. "We are inviting everyone, please, go out, be motivated, so we can walk together, make a mark," protest group leader Marta Lempart said.

In a justification published on Wednesday, the tribunal left open the possibility of the parliament regulating some circumstances covered by the law. Marek Suski, a PiS lawmaker, said the party would consider introducing new rules that could allow the most extreme foetal deformities to be excluded. But political commentators say consensus between PiS and its arch-conservative governing allies would be difficult to achieve.

"In cases when the foetus doesn't have a skull or has no chance to live outside the womb, there should be a choice. We will work on this," Suski told public radio. Last year's abortion protests quickly morphed into an eruption of anger against the government, particularly among young people, suggesting PiS may face a fresh challenge from new voters in coming years.

The party has built its popularity on promising poorer, older and less educated Poles a return to a traditional society mixed with generous welfare policies. Opinion surveys have shown some decline in PiS popularity in recent months, but an opinion poll by the government-affiliated CBOS pollster showed it edging back up to 35% this month, from 30% in October. PiS and its two small parliamentary allies won re-election in 2019 with a 44% share of the vote. (Additional reporting by Anna Koper; Writing by Justyna Pawlak; Editing by John Stonestreet, Alex Richardson and Grant McCool)

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