On Thursday 11 November, MEPs will be asked to support a new resolution defending abortion rights, the fourth in a year. The Parliament will reiterate its “strong condemnation” of Poland’s near-total ban on abortion, expressed openly in a plenary debate last month (see EUROPE 12817/6).
Since this debate, the situation in the country has become even more tense. A large demonstration was held in Warsaw on Saturday 6 November after the death of a young pregnant woman, which human rights organisations and the family’s lawyer believe is linked to the new legislation. Fearing reprisal from the law, the doctors decided not to carry out an abortion in time, preferring to wait until the foetus had died, which led to the septic shock from which the young woman died.
The case has had a major impact in the country and has also caused several MEPs to react. This is especially true since the Polish Parliament had announced a few days earlier its decision to examine at first reading an initiative providing for prison sentences of 5 to 25 years for abortion.
The MEPs’ vote on Thursday comes as the Slovak national parliament is also working on a bill that could restrict access to abortion in the country.
Content of the text. The resolution to be voted on was drafted by representatives of the EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA and The Left. The signatories reiterate that unhindered access to reproductive health services and women’s autonomy in reproductive matters and decision-making are fundamental rights.
Citing UN experts, they also stress that these rights “cannot be subordinated to cultural, religious or political considerations”, which may, moreover, endanger women’s health.
The draft resolution calls on the Commission to adopt guidelines for the EU27 to ensure equal access to sexual and reproductive health services in the EU.
Several recommendations are also made to the Polish authorities. These include ensuring women’s participation in the development of policies that affect their lives and taking action against abusive disinformation campaigns targeting Polish human rights defenders invested in this area.
Opposition. As in the three previous plenary votes on the subject, part of the EPP and most of the MEPs from the ID and ECR groups (see EUROPE 12748/12) are expected to oppose the resolution.
As usual, the latter will also submit a short alternative resolution to the plenary vote, in which they will recall that this issue falls within the competence of the Member States and will affirm that “abortion is not a universal human right”.
For the draft resolution: https://bit.ly/3mZw4WA; and the ECR alternative: https://bit.ly/3knNFFX (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)