Portugal abortion law put to test

[Tender Branson]

Portugal abortion law put to test

Official campaigning is beginning in Portugal ahead of a referendum on easing its strict abortion law.

At least 9,000 anti-abortion protesters marched through Lisbon on Sunday urging people to reject the proposal.

On 11 February voters will decide whether to allow abortions for all women up to the 10th week of pregnancy.

The "No" camp has the powerful Roman Catholic Church on its side. Recent opinion polls suggest support for lifting the abortion ban has declined.

Abortions are only legal in Portugal within 12 weeks of pregnancy to save a woman's life or to preserve her mental or physical health.

In cases of rape, abortions are allowed within 16 weeks. The limit is 24 weeks if there is a risk that the child will be born with an incurable disease or deformity.

More than 50% of registered voters must cast their ballots for the referendum to be valid.

A referendum on the issue was ruled invalid in 1998 because of a low turnout.

Portugal's Socialist Prime Minister, Jose Socrates, called the new referendum in October.

A poll published on Friday in the daily Jornal de Noticias found that about 38% of likely voters would support the new abortion law proposals - down from the 53% registered in a poll in October.

Earlier this month, the Bishop of Braganca, Antonio Moreira Montes, likened abortion to the execution of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

"Everyone was horrified by Saddam's execution. Abortion is a variation of capital punishment," he said.

Europe's abortion rules



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6309139.stm

[JSojourner]

No data on Switzerland, Turkey, Norway, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia?

I am not surprised there is no information about the Balkan Countries, given the fluidity of the situation there.

[Bono]

Little inaccuracy there. The save mother's life period spans the whole pregnancy.

[Tender Branson]

No data on Switzerland, Turkey, Norway, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia?

I am not surprised there is no information about the Balkan Countries, given the fluidity of the situation there.

The BBC just got the heading wrong, should be "EU" instead of Europe ...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Should point out here that, I think, that no European country has abortion laws as insane as in the U.S; I'm pretty sure that in most of the purple countries it's only legal during the early (or early-ish) stages of a pregnancy.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Should point out here that, I think, that no European country has abortion laws as insane as in the U.S; I'm pretty sure that in most of the purple countries it's only legal during the early (or early-ish) stages of a pregnancy.

That's not true, for example, the Netherlands.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Exceptions to a 12 week limit for the purple states, assuming vague mental distress requirements effectively means abortion on demand.

Netherlands: 24 weeks
Romania: 14 weeks
Slovenia: 10 weeks
Sweden: 18 weeks

With a little doctor shopping, Britain and Finland are effectively purple with limits of 24 and 12 weeks respectively.

If the referendum passes, Portugal would join Slovenia at the 10 week level.

[afleitch]

Should point out here that, I think, that no European country has abortion laws as insane as in the U.S; I'm pretty sure that in most of the purple countries it's only legal during the early (or early-ish) stages of a pregnancy.

Which is probably, thankfully, why it doesn't have as much political traction.