Polish Coalition Fails in Effort to Decriminalize Abortion
- First in package of measures falls short of majority
- Tusk’s coalition lacks consensus over polarizing issue
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Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government failed to pass legislation to decriminalize abortion in a tight vote, laying bare divisions within the ruling coalition on an issue that’s polarized the nation.
Lawmakers voted 215 in favor and 218 against the bill with two abstentions on Friday, falling short of the majority led by Tusk’s Civic Coalition. Deputies from the Polish People’s Party — a conservative faction within the ruling coalition with a base of mostly rural voters — had made clear they didn’t support the measure.