Worldcrunch
Three years after a landmark ruling severely restricted abortion rights in Poland and sparked massive protest movements, the public mood has shifted in favor of liberalizing the law. With a centrist political party poised to take power, will legal abortions return to Poland, asks Anita Karwowska in Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza.
Poland’s historic parliamentary election had a record turnout of 74%, with an opposition coalition ousting the ruling conservative party, PiS, from power. With women voting in greater numbers than men, their votes were crucial in securing these results. Now, the opposition owes them policies that they demand.
The Polish government has frequently clashed with the European Union, stoking fears that a “Polexit” may be on the horizon, depending on the results of the country’s upcoming election where a far-right anti-EU party could play the role of kingmaker.
Mexico is on the cusp of getting its first woman president. And in Poland, the upcoming elections will see the highest-ever number of women running for office. Two landmarks for nations where the patriarchy has long reigned supreme.