Abortion is a multifaceted issue that has raised social, political, ethical, scientific, and moral concerns across the globe. For the past thirty years, Poland has had some of the most restrictive laws regarding abortion in the European Union. Recently, the new and more liberal government has voiced support for female reproductive rights while failing to follow through on promises to loosen restrictions. By analyzing historical documents from the immediate post-communist period and scholarly interpretations of social mobilization, this study maps the fluctuation of abortion policies from the regime change to the present day, reflecting Poland’s struggle to balance European liberalism with deeply rooted traditionalism. An investigation of Polish social movements in response to abortion politics exemplifies the tension between groups that advocate for a reversion to these traditional attitudes and those that perceive abortion as a democratic freedom, more aligned with broader European perspectives. Through tracing abortion’s history in democratic Poland and providing an overview of its progression and actors, readers will learn the competing rationales of current-day restrictions in Poland.