PM Szydło supports full ban on abortion

Prime Minister Beata Szydło said in an interview with public broadcaster Polish Radio that she supports the citizen's initiative to ban abortion, underlining that it's her private opinion and not the stance of her party.

"I think every (MP) will vote in line with his own conscience. At this stage I can say what my decision will be, at the moment I can not talk about the bill, because this bill does not yet exist (...). As for my opinion, the opinion of Beata Szydło - yes, I support this initiative," she said.  The PM added that she is well aware of "the difficulties of the debate," saying that "it would be bad if a such a  sensitive and important matter become part of the political struggle."

Last week, the citizens' initiative "Stop Abortion" informed the Marshall of the Sejm that it has started collecting signatures to completely ban abortion in Poland.

At present, Poland's abortion law permits the procedure only if the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest, if the mother’s life is endangered, or if the fetus is severely malformed.