Six in 10 Lithuanians support full or partial state funding for abortion services, according to a recent poll commissioned by BNS and conducted by the public opinion and market research centre Vilmorus.
The survey found that 30.2% of respondents believe abortion should be fully funded in all cases, while 32.4% support funding only under exceptional circumstances, such as rape or medical indications. Another 24.1% had no opinion, and the remaining respondents opposed the idea.
Support for coverage was strongest among women, residents of major cities, individuals under 40, and those with higher education. Opposition was more common among older adults, residents of smaller towns, and people with lower levels of education.
The poll results come as Lithuania’s parliament recently took a preliminary step toward legalising abortion through legislation and ensuring the procedure is available free of charge. Currently, abortion is regulated by a ministerial decree.
Under the proposed law, the current rules would be codified: abortion without medical indications would be permitted up to the 12th week of pregnancy, and up to the 22nd week in cases of medical necessity, rape, or incest. The proposal also includes covering abortion costs through the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund.
Social Democrat MP Birutė Vėsaitė, one of the bill’s initiators, told BNS the poll reflects a shift in societal attitudes.
“When I look at the poll data, I see that changes are happening within society,” Vėsaitė said. “There is greater support among younger people, which shows society is maturing in terms of human rights.”
She added that higher support among women may indicate that men are less engaged in the issue, and suggested some people with no opinion may be reluctant to disclose their views due to religious or personal reasons.
Vėsaitė also noted that increased use of contraception may reduce the perceived urgency of abortion access.
Meanwhile, MP Lina Šukytė-Korsakė, chair of the Seimas Health Committee and a member of the Nemunas Dawn political group, voted against the bill and questioned whether public opinion might shift if more people understood the potential medical risks of abortion.
“It’s great to get a service for free, but people don’t think about the possible consequences,” she said. Šukytė-Korsakė emphasised the need for greater psychological support for pregnant women, especially in crisis situations.
Differences in opinion were also noted between urban and rural areas. Support was higher among urban and younger populations, while rural residents – described as generally more religious – were less favourable toward state-funded abortion.
Party support also varied. Among voters who identified with the Social Democrats, 30.1% supported state-funded abortion and 17.1% opposed it. Conservative voters showed 34.6% in favour and 5.8% against.
In the initial parliamentary vote, 56 MPs supported the bill, 44 voted against, and 10 abstained. The proposal was backed mainly by the Social Democrats and Liberals, while the Nemunas Dawn, Farmers and Greens Union, and Christian Family Union opposed it. Conservative MPs were evenly split, and only three of 14 Democrats “for Lithuania” supported the bill.
The Vilmorus poll was conducted June 11–22, surveying 1,000 Lithuanian residents.
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