Pro-abortion mobilization in Poland: "It is an almost pre-insurrectionary movement"

Protests against restrictions on abortion rights gain momentum in Poland on October 28, 2020. Czarek Sokolowski / AP Photo

Text by: Béatrice Leveillé

3 min

Demonstrations follow one another in Poland, after the decision of the Constitutional Court to ban abortion in the event of "serious and irreversible fetal impairment or incurable disease threatening the life of the fetus".

A decision challenged by Polish youth describes Georges Mink, holder of the chair of European civilization at the College of Europe in Warsaw.

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RFI: What was the catalyst for this growing protest

Georges Mink: It

all started with a recent decision of the Constitutional Court or so-called Constitutional Court, because everyone disputes its legitimacy which declared unconstitutional one of the medical grounds for abortion.

It concerns giving birth to disabled or even dead embryos.

And of course, this was a catalyst that

.

We are witnessing a generational turning point in Poland.

This explains the strength of this movement, we are in the presence of young women aged 20 to 30 accompanied by men who support the demonstrations, it goes from high schools to universities through professionals.

Everyone is mobilized to demand the withdrawal of this decision.

The conditions for abortions in Poland were already very restrictive; all that remains is abortion following incest or following rape and the number of abortions does not exceed

Is

It started with a social problem and by taking place massively in practically all the cities of Poland it took on a political color especially since the opposition supported this movement it is an almost pre-insurrectional movement. faced with an authoritarian police and more confessional state, because this decision was taken under pressure from the Polish Church, a backward traditionalist and sometimes fundamentalist Church.

How far can this movement go

I think there is a kind of impasse because the current leaders do not offer any possibility of negotiations on the contrary.

They react by launching an appeal to the counter-demonstrators, which is a call for war.

Obviously, the movement itself is radicalizing.

He goes so far as to protest in front of the Church buildings.

It is taking a violent turn and given the current stalemate it can go in all directions, including bloodshed.

What is interesting to note is that 73% of Poles according to recent polls oppose this decision of the Constitutional Court, so the reason is on the side of the demonstrators of course.

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