(Ordo Iuris) — The Parliament of the Republic of Poland has rejected by a majority vote a bill decriminalizing the killing of unborn children through abortion. Thanks to the attitude of MPs above political divisions, the unequivocal voice of the Church, and the extraordinary mobilization of society, the statutory attack on the constitutionally guaranteed protection of life (Article 38 of the Polish Constitution), reinforced by the established jurisprudence of Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal and derived from the inherent, inalienable and inviolable dignity of man (Article 30 of the Polish Constitution), has failed.
Each defeat of abortion bills reinforces the process of raising the level of legal protection of life in Poland, which has been going on for 31 years, aiming at the necessary equal legal protection of life for every child, both before and after birth. This is also true at the criminal law level.
The result of today’s vote should be read first and foremost as Poland’s stand on the side of the civilization of life, which dictates that political authority should stand on the side of the weakest and most in need of help. It is also a further step toward fulfilling the obligation embodied in the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which remind us that “the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth.” In this way, the legal sanction given by law to the basic, all-human moral principle “Thou shalt not kill!” is perfected.
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At the same time, it should not be forgotten that the Polish Parliament is still working on other abortion projects that are contrary to the Polish Constitution, which strike at the above principles and whose enactment would inevitably lead to the death of thousands of children, the indescribable personal tragedies of many citizens of our country and the moral decline of our nation, not to mention the deepening of the already dramatic demographic collapse of Poland.
We, therefore, call on their authors, MPs, and senators, to withdraw these bills or reject them immediately in a vote, and on the President of the Republic of Poland to veto any bill that would lead to a reduction in the level of protection of life in Poland.
We also ask those in power, the parliamentary majority and all deputies and senators of the Republic of Poland, to focus legislative efforts and state policy not on the killing of children through abortion, but on the effective, full, legal protection of life and the fair, systemic fulfilment of the constitutional obligation contained in Article 71 of the Polish Constitution, according to which “families in a difficult material and social situation, especially those with many children and incomplete families, have the right to special assistance from public authorities,” and “a mother before and after giving birth has the right to special assistance from public authorities.”
Center for Life and Family
Ordo Iuris Institute for Legal Culture
Fr. Piotr Skarga Association for Christian Culture
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The pro-life, pro-family Ordo Iuris Institute for Legal Culture is an independent legal organization incorporated as a foundation in Poland. It gathers academics and legal practitioners with the aim of promoting a legal culture based on respect for human dignity and rights. Ordo Iuris pursues its objectives by means of research and other academic activities, as well as advocacy and litigation.
This article appeared earlier in the original Polish on the Ordo Iuris website. English translation published with permission