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Poland Delays Abortion Ban Amid Record Protests, Virus Surge
Posted
November 5, 2020
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0:53Now PlayingPoland’s government is stalling the implementation of a high-court ruling that effectively bans abortion amid some of the biggest street demonstrations in decades, while shifting blame for a record coronavirus outbreak on protesters.
Though the political climate is tense, the delay appears to be a tactical slowdown aimed at avoiding a new flareup in demonstrations at a time the government is considering more lockdown measures. Verdicts become binding after they’re printed in a government gazette and the cabinet missed a Nov. 2 deadline to publish a ruling that further tightens one of Europe’s strictest laws on ending pregnancies.
After the number of new Covid-19 infections surged to a record 24,692 in the last 24 hours, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday that tighter lockdown restrictions Poland was announcing followed days of street protests, which may be creating as much as an additional 5,000 infections a day, according to studies.
“We hoped the protests did not lead to so many new infections, but all the signs in heaven and earth, along with recent data show that they led to more cases,” Morawiecki told a news conference. “I appeal to everyone to stay home” and “those who want to protest, can do so over the internet.”
The standoff with the women-led protesters has become a critical moment for the ruling Law & Justice party that’s been taking control over all facets of society in the name of ordinary Poles and Catholic traditions. The party has also managed to label the gay community and increasingly the country’s partners in the European Union as enemies.
While the government has asked people to stay indoors and banned mass gatherings to slow the spread of the coronavirus, that hasn’t stopped pro-choice women from taking to the streets. Law & Justice party has lost about a quarter of its supporters as the tussle over civil liberties drags on.
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