Poland President Vetoes Morning-After Pill Bill

The conservative president of Poland expressed his refusal to endorse legislation that permits the distribution of contraceptive pills to girls below the age of 18. Subsequently, the prime minister has unveiled an alternative solution to circumvent this presidential veto.

Andrzej Duda, the President of Poland, vetoed a bill on Friday that would have allowed women and girls aged 15 and older to access the contraceptive pill over-the-counter.

Duda’s office stated that he vetoed the bill because it would provide access to the contraceptive pill without medical supervision and without involving parents in the decision-making process.

According to Andrzej Duda, there were insufficient arguments to support providing the contraceptive pill to girls under the age of 18.

Poland, with a Catholic-majority population, has seen a restriction on women’s reproductive rights under the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government, which Duda supported.

The current government, led by former EU chief Donald Tusk, has promised to work towards restoring reproductive rights in the country.

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Government Develops Alternative Solution

The decision made by Duda to veto the law has received strong criticism from several Polish lawmakers.

Deputy Education Minister Katarzyna Lubnauer expressed her disappointment on social media, stating, “It’s unfortunate that once again the president is opposing the rights of Polish women.”

Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna emphasized the importance of ensuring accessibility to the contraceptive pill, saying, “If we want to prevent unwanted pregnancies among women and young girls, we should make every effort to make the pill easily accessible.”

In anticipation of the presidential veto, Tusk’s government has already announced their plan to work around the decision. They will issue a directive allowing pharmacists to prescribe the contraceptive pill themselves.

Tusk took to social media to announce this alternative plan, stating, “We are implementing Plan B” after Duda’s veto. Minister of Equality Katarzyna Kotula has promised to guarantee the availability of the morning-after pill, regardless of the president’s viewpoint. She criticized Duda for basing his decision on superstition rather than medical knowledge.