Poland protests leader: abortion court ruling must be waived

A leer of Poland’s massive protests triggered by tightening of country's strict abortion law said Monday court ruling must be withdrawn.Klementyna Suchaw, leer of “Women’s Strike” rights organization, said that a 12th daily round of street blockes and marches was planned Monday and more will come during week, despite an anti-COVID-19 ban on public garings of more than five people.

Nationwide protests by hundreds of thousands of people have been held daily since Oct. 22 when a constitutional court barred abortions of fetuses with congenital defects, furr narrowing one of Europe’s most restrictive abortion laws in predominantly Catholic nation. court ruling means that an abortion is only permitted in Poland when a pregnancy threatens mor's health or is result of crime like rape or incest.

“ ruling by so-called Constitutional Tribunal must be withdrawn,” Suchaw said, stressing that legal status of court itself is being contested.Critics question independence of tribunal after ruling right-wing Law and Justice party put its loyalists in court shortly after it took power in 2015. Some say move was a breech of law.

Suchaw said that Poland's abortion law needs liberalization, but mitted it may t be possible under current conservative government, which has a narrow majority in lower house of parliament.Support for ruling party started shrinking even before abortion ruling. government’s moves to control judicial system, a new animal rights law and remarks against LGBT rights by top officials created political divisions and provoked some protests.

Some surveys show most people want party leer and deputy prime minister, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, to step down, especially after he called last week on his supporters to counter protesters and defend churches against attacks.Protests were also planned by health care employees who say ir sector is poorly organized and has reached its limits in fight against coronavirus.

(Im Credit: AP) 

This story has t been edited by www.republicworld.com and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.