{"id":26272,"date":"2024-04-11T01:08:11","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T05:08:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/tusks-bickering-coalition-faces-test-in-polish-abortion-debate\/11\/04\/2024\/"},"modified":"2024-04-11T01:08:11","modified_gmt":"2024-04-11T05:08:11","slug":"tusks-bickering-coalition-faces-test-in-polish-abortion-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/tusks-bickering-coalition-faces-test-in-polish-abortion-debate\/11\/04\/2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Tusk\u2019s Bickering Coalition Faces Test in Polish Abortion Debate"},"content":{"rendered":"

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(Bloomberg) — Prime Minister Donald Tusk<\/a><\/span><\/span>\u2019s government is facing its biggest test of unity yet as lawmakers begin a debate on relaxing Poland\u2019s restrictive abortion law.<\/p>\n

Most Read from Bloomberg<\/p>\n

The issue was polarizing enough to be excluded from the three-party coalition\u2019s cooperation agreement after a parliamentary election in October. It has divided the alliance since.<\/p>\n

Lawmakers on Thursday will discuss four different pieces of legislation to restore women\u2019s reproductive rights after the previous nationalist administration imposed one of the European Union\u2019s most restrictive abortion laws.<\/p>\n

The debate comes in the wake of mounting tension between Tusk\u2019s two junior partners \u2014 the conservative Third Way alliance and the Left. It underscores challenges faced by a coalition of parties from across the political spectrum struggling to hold together as Tusk restores Poland\u2019s ties with the EU and tries to keep populist forces at bay.<\/p>\n

Of the coalition parties, the Third Way alliance backs a referendum to decide whether Poles want to change the current abortion law. Tusk\u2019s Civic Coalition and the Left separately seek to allow termination for up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. The Left also proposes decriminalizing abortion.<\/p>\n

Parliament Speaker Szymon Holownia of the Third Way already delayed the debate until after local elections last Sunday so that it won\u2019t dominate the campaign. The Left decried the move.<\/p>\n

The conflict flared up this week following media speculation that Tusk plans to shake up his cabinet and strip the Left of a ministerial post after the coalition\u2019s lackluster performance in the local ballots. The vote showed that the nationalist Law & Justice remains the country\u2019s single most popular party.<\/p>\n

The prime minister said that a reshuffle is possible in the coming months, but stressed the decision won\u2019t depend on party affiliation. Those who \u201cdidn\u2019t optimally use these months, will say goodbye to their jobs in the government,\u201d he told reporters on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Tusk said he hopes that coalition partners will vote in favor of all four draft bills and send them for further legislative work in parliamentary committees.<\/p>\n

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek<\/p>\n

\u00a92024 Bloomberg L.P.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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(Bloomberg) — Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government is facing its biggest test of unity yet as lawmakers begin a debate on relaxing