Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Attitudes of Poles: The Changes Due to the Political Climate Dynamics

After the political transformation in the 1990‘s, the discussion in Poland concerning a law allowing an abortion on demand started. Finally, there was a consensual agreement achieved and abortion is now legal in three cases: when life or health of a mother is at risk, when a child is going to be incurably impaired, or when pregnancy is caused by a crime (a rape or an incest). This consensual law is constantly being criticized by conservative circles and Catholic Church, and stays a subject to proposals to make it more restricted.

Two powerful social movements are active in the public sphere: pro-life represented by ultraconservative associations supported by the Catholic Church that claim abortion ban and pro-choice associations that call for liberalization of the current restrictive law. Mass street protests against abortion ban and for protection of women rights started in October, 2016 and are continuously repeated all over Poland to date. Protests gather people of both genders and various ages and attract attention all over the world.

The subject of the paper is to present social factors that determine changes in pro-life and pro-choice attitudes in a broader social and political context. The data source will be public opinion research conducted in different socio-political situations in Poland and, also, media evidence of the public debate, including pro-life and pro-choice activities.