The Insurrection by Women in Poland: Clericalism and the Struggle for the Heart of Democracy

Abstract

Since the election of the right-wing government in Poland in 2015, the polarization between secularism and clericalism has sharpened, with an access to abortion figuring as the pivotal issue for both sides. Clericals (conservatives) want to see any legislation with a moral content conform to Catholic doctrine, while advocates of secularism – liberals, broadly understood – hold that the laws of Poland should not be guided by the Catholic Church. Since 2020, the fight over abortion has sparked an insurrection by women. At issue is nothing less than the future character of democracy in Poland.