Poland abortion ruling sparks 'women's strike'

28 October 2020

A strike is under way in Poland by women opposed to a court ruling that introduced a near-total ban on abortion in the mainly Catholic country.

It is the seventh straight day of demonstrations against the decision that outlawed terminations on the grounds of severe health defects.

Scuffles erupted in parliament on Tuesday with opposition MPs carrying signs saying "This is war" and "Shame".

The powerful ruling party leader said the decision could not be reversed.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who is also the deputy prime minister and widely considered to be the country's real powerbroker, said the protests were an attempt to "destroy" Poland. He urged people to "defend" the nation as well as the Catholic Church.

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Women opposed to the ruling are expected to stay away from work and school and refuse to do domestic chores, in a protest inspired by a women's strike in Iceland in 1975.

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