Politics
Friday June 30, 2006
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Ruling Socialists in Portugal Will Introduce Bill to Legalize Abortion in September
By Gudrun Schultz
PORTUGAL, June 30, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Portugal’s Socialist government has announced plans to push a law legalizing abortion through parliament in September, bypassing an earlier promise to hold a referendum on the issue.
The Socialist party told media that a referendum would not be necessary, saying parliament was more than capable of deciding the issue, reported the People’s Daily Online yesterday. The party holds an absolute majority in the legislature, with 121 of the 230 parliamentary seats.
The Socialists won in the 2005 election on a party platform that included a promise to hold a referendum in 2006 on legalizing abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. During a 1998 referendum on abortion legislation, Portugal voters indicated opposition to legalized abortion, but by a slim majority and with a poor voter turnout of only 30 per cent.
Abortion is currently illegal in Portugal throughout all nine months of pregnancy, with an exception for cases of rape or when the mother’s life is in danger, but only up until the 12th week of pregnancy.
The Socialist government in Portugal has been attempting to break down laws protecting unborn children for almost a decade, beginning with a 1997 bill to permit unrestricted abortion. That bill was defeated in Parliament by just one vote, in a 112-111 victory. A second bill, which increased the allowable abortion period for rape or fetal handicaps passed without difficulty. However, concerted efforts by the pro-life movement led to the 1998 referendum, which resulted in the bill’s defeat.
In March of 2004 a coalition of pro-life organizations collected 190,000 signatures in opposition to any change to Portugal’s abortion law, effectively preventing the government from reopening the abortion debate at that time.
The Movement for Legalizing the Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy, a pro-abortion organization, is gathering signatures in support of the coming September legislation and so far has collected 15,000 signatures.
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Portugal's Pro-Life Coalition Collects 190,000 Signatures Against Abortion Liberalization
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/mar/04030308.html
Abortion-Pushing Socialists Elected in Portugal
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/feb/05022105.html
Abortion Referendum in Portugal Approved by Socialist-Led Government
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/apr/05042102.html
Abortion Referendum in Portugal Delayed Until September 2006
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/nov/05110103.html
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