Poland: Fighting back against anti-abortion law

Socialist Alternative members with flags at a large pro-choice demo (Click to enlarge)

Socialist Alternative (CWI, Poland) reporters

A mass movement is developing in Poland against the Law and Justice-led government's reactionary bill which bans abortions. This has included demonstarions of hundreds of thousands and a women's strike on 3 October.

The restrictive existing law means that an estimated 150,000 women each year are forced to risk illegal abortions. The new law championed by right-wing prime minister Beata Szydło will jail women for up to five years for terminating a pregnancy, regardless of the reason.

The current anti-abortion law was introduced in 1993 in the early years of the restoration of capitalism in Poland under intense pressure from the Catholic Church, which was seen as a key pillar of support for the establishment of capitalism and the resulting rampant neoliberalism.

At that time about 70% of society was against the introduction of the abortion ban and supported the existing law, which allowed access to abortion "for social reasons".

Nevertheless, the ban was forced through, along with the introduction of religion in schools and the signing of the Concordat, which gave huge material privileges to the Church.

Socialist Alternative has con-sistently campaigned for women's right to choose and against the new law. More generally it has linked the fight for women's rights to a struggle against the governing right-wing coalition: to end poverty, defend workers' rights and the exploitative system of capitalism.

It calls for:

Legal, safe and free abortion on demand
Free and reliable high-quality healthcare
Universal access to free contraception
No place for religion in schools - compulsory sex education

Donate to the Socialist Party

Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to click here to donate to our Fighting Fund.