Jaroslaw Kaczynski
FILE - In this Tuesday, May 12, 2020 file photo, Poland's main ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski wears a mask for protection against the coronavirus in parliament in Warsaw, Poland, during work on new legislation that is to ensure the health and safety of the postponed presidential election to be held this summer. Poland’s governing right-wing coalition lost its slim majority in parliament Friday June 25, 2021, after three lawmakers left it, criticizing government policies — mainly on phasing out coal. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File)
Polish ruling right-wing coalition loses parliament majority

By Monika Scislowska Jun. 25, 2021 12:55 PM EDT

European Council President Charles Michel, second left, talks to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, right on a screen, during a video conference ahead of a EU summit at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, March 24, 2021. (Stephanie Lecocq, Photo Pool via AP)
The Latest: Philippine leader orders mayors investigated

By The Associated Press Mar. 24, 2021 07:03 AM EDT

Police in riot gear block the path of anti-government protesters trying to reach the home of the ruling party leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday Dec. 13, 2020. Thousands of anti-government protesters demonstrated in Warsaw in the latest large protest after a high court ruled in October to further tighten the country's already restrictive abortion law. Sunday's protest was scheduled to coincide with the 39th anniversary of the 1981 martial law crackdown by the country's communist regime.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poles protest on anniversary of communist-era crackdown

By Vanessa Gera Dec. 13, 2020 08:57 AM EST

FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2020 file photo, Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, left, and Hungary's Prime Minister Victor Orban share a word as they line up for a group picture prior to a meeting in Beja, Portugal. Polish government officials insisted on Friday, Dec. 4, 2020, that they are sticking to their tough negotiating position ahead of a key European Union summit next week that should finalize the bloc’s next seven-year budget and a major pandemic recovery package. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, File)
Pressure mounts on Hungary, Poland to unlock EU stimulus

By Samuel Petrequin Dec. 08, 2020 05:29 AM EST

Demonstrators wear masks with the red lightning bold, a symbol of the pro-choice movement, during a protest against a top court ruling restricting abortions in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. The upheaval began when the constitutional court, packed with loyalists of the conservative ruling party, ruled Oct. 22 to ban abortions in cases of congenital fetal defects, even if the fetus has no chance of survival. (AP Photo/Agata Grzybowska)
Rage and hope fuel women's revolt over abortion in Poland

By Vanessa Gera Dec. 02, 2020 02:50 AM EST

People take part in a protest against a top court ruling restricting abortions in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. Polish police came under criticism on Thursday for using tear gas and force on mostly female and young protesters during the latest in a string of women-led protests against a top court ruling restricting abortion.(AP Photo/Agata Grzybowska)
Polish police criticized for using tear gas on protesters

By Vanessa Gera Nov. 19, 2020 05:42 AM EST

Protesters hold signs reading in Polish "women's strike" as they block a crossing in downtown Warsaw, Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, on the 12th straight day of anti-government protests that were triggered by the tightening of Poland's strict abortion law and are continuing despite a anti-COVID-19 ban on public gatherings. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poland delays implementing abortion ruling amid protests

By Monika Scislowska Nov. 03, 2020 07:37 AM EST

Protesters hold signs reading in Polish "women's strike" as they block a crossing in downtown Warsaw, Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, on the 12th straight day of anti-government protests that were triggered by the tightening of Poland's strict abortion law and are continuing despite a anti-COVID-19 ban on public gatherings. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poland protests leader: Abortion court ruling must be waived

Nov. 02, 2020 12:21 PM EST

Young people take part in a massive protest against the conservative government on the eighth straight day of angry demonstrations that were triggered by a recent tightening of the abortion law, in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Abortion rights protest held for 10th day in Poland

Oct. 31, 2020 02:36 PM EDT

Protesters gathered before Poland's state TVP building with angry chants against the government on the eighth straight day of demonstrations against a court ruling that further tightened the predominantly Catholic nation's restrictive abortion law in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. A massive protest is planned for Friday, despite calls by the prime minister for no gatherings at the time of a steep spike in new COVID-19 infection cases.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poland: Tens of thousands hold new protest over abortion ban

By Vanessa Gera Oct. 30, 2020 05:24 AM EDT

Protesters gather outside the parliament in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday Oct. 28, 2020. People across Poland stayed off their jobs and huge crowds poured onto the streets for a seventh straight day of protests Wednesday, enraged over a top court ruling that bans abortions in cases of fetal abnormalities.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poland: New protests as PM urges restraint amid virus spike

By Monika Scislowska Oct. 29, 2020 11:00 AM EDT

Women's rights activists with posters of the Women's Strike action protest in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020 against recent tightening of Poland's restrictive abortion law. Massive nationwide protests have been held ever since a top court ruled Thursday that abortions due to fetal congenital defects are unconstitutional. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poles join strike as protests against abortion ruling expand

By Vanessa Gera Oct. 28, 2020 06:36 AM EDT

Women's rights activists with posters of the Women's Strike action protest against recent tightening of Poland's restrictive abortion law in front of the parliament building as inside, guards had to be used to shield right-wing ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski from angry opposition lawmakers, in Warsaw, Poland, on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020. Massive nationwide protests have been held ever since a top court ruled Thursday that abortions due to fetal congenital defects are unconstitutional. Slogan reads 'Women’s Strike'. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poland's leader wants churches defended, condemns protests

By Monika Scislowska Oct. 27, 2020 08:10 AM EDT

A crowd defying pandemic-related ban on gatherings protests outside the house of Poland's ruling conservative party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski against a decision by the Constitutional Court, in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020. Poland’s top court ruled Thursday that a law allowing abortion of fetuses with congenital defects is unconstitutional, shutting a major loophole in the predominantly Catholic country's abortion laws that are among the strictest in Europe. Blocked by the police, the protesters chanted for the government to resign. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poles vent fury at court's further restrictions on abortions

By Monika Scislowska And Vanessa Gera Oct. 23, 2020 03:23 PM EDT

Women's rights activists, wearing masks against the spread of the coronavirus, protest against a draft law tightening Poland's strict anti-abortion law near the parliament that was debating the draft law, in Warsaw, Poland, on Wednesday, April 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poland's top court rules out abortions due to fetal defects

By Monika Scislowska Oct. 22, 2020 12:21 PM EDT

An ambulance brings a COVID-19 patient to a specialized hospital in Warsaw, Poland, on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020. Poland is seeing a sharp spike in new cases daily of coronavirus infections, filling up hospital beds. Poland's government is transforming the National Stadium in Warsaw into a field hospital to handle the surging number of people infected with the coronavirus, and expects it to be operational within days, officials said. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poland faces restriction upgrade, but no lockdown, PM says

By Monika Scislowska Oct. 21, 2020 03:47 PM EDT

FILE - This Friday, May 18, 2012 file photo aerial view, made from an hot air balloon, shows the National Stadium, in Warsaw, Poland. Poland’s government is transforming the National Stadium in Warsaw into a field hospital to handle the surging number of patients infecting with the coronavirus. A government spokesman said Monday, Oct. 19, 2020 that the stadium will have room for 500 patients and will be equipped with oxygen therapy for those who need it. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File)
Poland turning National Stadium into COVID-19 field hospital

By Vanessa Gera Oct. 19, 2020 12:45 PM EDT

Poland's ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, left, and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, center, wearing masks, pray at the monument to the late President Lech Kaczynski, the party leader's twin, killed with 95 others in a plane crash April 10, 2010 in Russia, in Warsaw, Poland Sunday, May 10, 2020. Poland was to hold presidential election Sunday but the anti-coronavirus lockdown and political infighting made it impossible and there is no voting. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poland's presidential election to be held within 74 days

By Monika Scislowska May. 10, 2020 05:22 PM EDT

Leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, wearing a face mask to protect against the coronavirus, sits in parliament in Warsaw, Poland, on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, ahead of the debate on the postal presidential election that is scheduled for Sunday The ruling party wants the election in May, the Senate is calling for a state of natural disaster that would allow for postponement by three months. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Polish ruling coalition postpones Sunday presidential vote

By Vanessa Gera And Monika Scislowska May. 06, 2020 09:54 AM EDT

File - In this file photo taken Feb. 15, 2020, in Warsaw, Poland are seen Poland's President Andrzej Duda, right, with wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda, campaigning for Duda's re-election in May 10 national vote. The Polish government’s determination to move forward with the May 10, presidential election during the coronavirus pandemic by making it an all-postal vote, though critics say the plan threatens public health and democracy in Poland. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Polish official: Presidential election impossible this week

By Monika Scislowska May. 04, 2020 09:18 AM EDT