Poland: Ruling party leader blames women's drinking for low birthrate
Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party leader Jarosław Kaczyński has triggered outrage by blaming excessive drinking by young women for the country's low birthrate, The Guardian reported. Following his controversial remarks, opposition leaders, female celebrities, and others reacted sharply and condemned the leader. They denounced the statements he made over the weekend, calling him "out of touch" and "patriarchal" and his comments "non-sensical."
Why does this story matter?
Kaczyński's statements come at a time when Poland is witnessing a record-low birthrate. According to official data, just over 1.3 children per woman are born in the country, which is below the European Union (EU) average. Critics suggest that the low birthrate can be attributed to the lack of confidence in women about having children following the PiS's prohibitions on abortion and financial reasons.
What triggered the controversy?
The Guardian quoted Kaczyński as saying on Saturday, "If we see a continuation of the situation where, until the age of 25, young women drink as much as men their age, then there will be no children." "A man, in order to become an alcoholic, has to drink excessively for 20 years on average...while a woman only two," he added, triggering widespread outrage.
Women drinking at 25 unfavorable for birthrate: Kaczyński
Kaczyński, who is the chairman of the ruling national-conservative PiS party, further said he was also not in favor of early motherhood and spoke against the habit of consuming alcohol among women at an early age. Citing a doctor and alcoholism specialist he knew, the PiS leader said the drinking habit among women until the age of 25 is unfavorable for the birthrate.
Watch: PiS chairman's controversial speech in Polish
Opposition parties react sharply, call Kaczyński patriarchal
Kaczyński's remarks drew sharp criticism from opposition parties. Dismissing Kaczyński's comments as "rubbish," leftwing politician Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus termed him "a patriarchal old geezer." "We could, of course, laugh about this, make memes out of it, but it's a serious, tragic matter," she told the media on Monday. Lawmaker Katarzyna Lubnauer called him "out of touch" and said his comments were "nonsense insulting to women."
Others too condemned the remarks
Besides politicians, other people, including celebs, reacted to his comments. "ENOUGH. It makes me angry when I see politicians accusing women unfairly instead of recognizing the real problem," Anna, wife of Polish football star Robert Lewandowski, posted on Instagram. Meanwhile, critics argued Polish women were hesitant to have children for financial reasons as well as out of fear of abortion restrictions in the country.
