Poland's Sejm, the lower house of parliament, approved two bills on October 20, 2026, that would partially roll back one of Europe's strictest abortion laws. The votes came after years of pressure from women's rights campaigners and opposition parties following a near-total ban introduced in 2021, according to Notes from Poland and Around Prague.
What the Two Bills Would Change
The first bill, an amendment to the penal code, would restore the right to terminate a pregnancy in cases of severe and irreversible fetal abnormalities. It reverses a Constitutional Tribunal ruling issued on October 22, 2020, that found such abortions unconstitutional. It passed the Sejm 233-203, Notes from Poland reported.
The second bill would decriminalize helping a woman obtain an abortion outside the current legal limits, removing a penalty that currently carries up to three years in prison. It passed by a narrower margin, 217-213, with 27 lawmakers absent, including ten from the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, according to the same outlet.
The two abortion bills passed by the Sejm on October 20, 2026| Bill | Vote result | What it does |
|---|
| Fetal-abnormality bill | 233-203 | Restores abortion access in cases of severe, irreversible fetal abnormalities, reversing the 2020 Constitutional Tribunal ruling |
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| Decriminalization bill | 217-213 (27 absent) | Removes criminal penalties, up to three years in prison, for helping a woman obtain an abortion outside current legal limits |
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Coalition Lines and Opposition
Support for both measures came from Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Civic Coalition, the Left party, Poland 2050 and the smaller Together party, Notes from Poland reported. Within the governing coalition, the agrarian Polish People's Party (PSL) split from its partners: five PSL lawmakers opposed the fetal-abnormality bill, and fourteen PSL members, including party leader Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, voted against the decriminalization bill alongside right-wing opposition parties.
A Presidential Veto Is Expected
Both bills still need approval from Poland's Senate before reaching President Karol Nawrocki's desk, and his office has already signalled rejection. Nawrocki's chief of staff, Zbigniew Bogucki, said the president supports what he described as "the protection of life from conception to natural death," Notes from Poland reported. Nawrocki has vetoed a record 37 government bills since taking office and has previously taken part in anti-abortion marches, according to the outlet. Around Prague likewise reported that Nawrocki "has made clear he will veto any liberalization efforts."
Background: How Poland's Ban Came About
Poland introduced a near-total abortion ban in 2021 after the Constitutional Tribunal ruled that terminations due to fetal abnormalities were unconstitutional, a decision that sparked mass protests across the country, according to Around Prague. Under the law now in force, abortion is permitted only in cases of rape or incest, or when a woman's life or health is at risk. Tusk's pro-European coalition won the 2023 parliamentary election partly on a promise to loosen these restrictions, the outlet reported, and the government has since widened access within existing rules by expanding the mental-health grounds on which terminations can be approved.
What Happens Next
The two bills passed on October 20 now move to the Senate, which must approve them before they can reach the president. Separately, Around Prague reported that parliamentary committees are still reviewing broader draft legislation that would legalize abortion on request up to the 12th week of pregnancy, a measure that goes further than either bill approved this week.
Questions
- What did the Polish parliament actually vote on?
- On October 20, 2026, the Sejm passed two separate bills: one restoring abortion access for severe fetal abnormalities (233-203) and one decriminalizing helping someone obtain an abortion (217-213), according to Notes from Poland.
- Will these bills become law?
- Not yet. They still need approval from Poland's Senate and then the president's signature; President Karol Nawrocki's office has signalled he intends to veto them, per Notes from Poland and Around Prague.
- What does Poland's current abortion law allow?
- Under the law in force since 2021, abortion is permitted only in cases of rape or incest, or when the pregnancy threatens the woman's life or health, according to Around Prague.
- Why might President Nawrocki veto the bills?
- His chief of staff, Zbigniew Bogucki, said Nawrocki supports what he called "the protection of life from conception to natural death," and Nawrocki has previously joined anti-abortion marches, Notes from Poland reported.
- Is there a broader abortion bill also being considered?
- Yes. Separate legislation that would legalize abortion on request up to 12 weeks of pregnancy remains under review in parliamentary committees, according to Around Prague.
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