Poland rejects proposed abortion ban

Polish lawmakers have voted overwhelmingly to reject a proposal by an anti-abortion group that would have imposed a total ban on abortion, even in cases of rape, with prison terms for women ending a pregnancy.

The proposal came from a citizens' initiative that gathered some 450,000 signatures in thenation of 38 million. But it was highly unpopular with most Poles, sparking massive street protests by women dressed in black across the nation on Monday.

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Initially many members of the conservative ruling party, Law and Justice, supported the proposal. Two weeks ago a majority of lawmakers voted to consider it, sending it to a commission for further study.

The party backed away from it under massive social pressure, and lawmakers voted against it 352-58 on Thursday.