MPs from The New Left party have said they will submit draft legislation to the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, on liberalising the abortion law as well as the decriminalisation of abortion.

Abortion has become a highly contentious issue in Poland. Recent changes to the abortion law, which resulted in the procedure being outlawed accept in situations when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest, or threatened the health or life of the mother, provoked massive nationwide protests.

It also led to parties proposing an overhaul of the current law.

During a press briefing on Monday preceding the inaugural sitting of the Sejm, Katarzyna Kotula and Anna Maria Zukowska declared that they would submit a draft bill on abortion.

This legislation “is the fulfilment of our campaign promises,” Kotula said.

“Legal, safe, free and accessible abortions up to the 12th week without the need to present justification, including pharmacological abortions.”

Zukowska said the legislation would also call for the “decriminalisation of abortion and abortion assistance.”

She added that the legislation was being submitted because “we owe it to our voters,” for whom the issue served as “great electoral motivation for a huge turnout… voting in favour of the current democratic opposition and, soon, the ruling coalition.”