Posted on 04/22/2005 1:03:22 PM PDT by Siobhan
FRONT PAGE STORY - 23/04/2005
Abortion referendum approved
Abortions up to the tenth week of pregnancy were approved late Wednesday afternoon by the Portuguese Parliament. But the country’s lawmakers also decided that for the law decree proposal to come into force, a referendum on the matter would have to be held.
While voting went as planned for the majority centre-left Socialists (PS), internal squabbling within the ruling party saw at least forty MP’s call for a revision to the party’s law proposal.
These ‘dissident’ MP’s, which make up a third of the party’s parliamentary seats, presented a declaration saying that while they were in favour of the law, they were against allowing women to have legal abortions up to 16 weeks of pregnancy.
Initial reports suggest that these 40 MP’s have succeeded, and abortions, if approved in a referendum, will only be permitted up to ten weeks of pregnancy.
The proposal for the staging of a referendum on legalising abortions was approved by the Socialists and the Left Bloc, while the Social Democrats (PSD) opted to abstain. The Christian Democrats and the Communists voted against the staging of a referendum, though the latter did so as they felt abortions should be approved without consulting the electorate.
The final stumbling block in the staging of a referendum is when it is held, with the PSD calling for it to be held in 2006.
With Cavaco Silva (a member of the PSD) being the odds-on favourite to win the presidential elections next January, a referendum could be delayed indefinitely should outgoing President Jorge Sampaio fail to announce a date before his term finishes at the end of this year.
The Portuguese defeated early abortion on demand in a referendum in 1998, but that vote was considered void because less than half the electorate participated.
Currently, abortion is permitted only under highly restricted circumstances through the 12th week of pregnancy.
Officials say some 10,000 women are admitted yearly to hospital for complications resulting from botched clandestine abortions.
The question approved for referendum is: "Do you agree that an abortion performed during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, with the consent of the woman in a legal medical establishment, cease being viewed as a crime"?
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
This is a lie and a scam.
The same lying tactic that was used in the US.
Looks like their already dangerously low birth rates are about to drop further.
Though it is sort of sad that as of now, a liberal socialist European state has more restrictive abortion laws than the 'conservative' United States.
Its a cheap flight to the UK or trip over the border to Spain and the low countries if a Portuguese woman really wants an abortion. I find those statistics about "back alley abortions" to be highly suspect.
That's because abortion laws were passed legislatively in Europe and Latin America, rather than by judicial fiat.
Yes it is a lie and scam being promoted by all of the usual suspects.
Yes, please do. And for the never-born souls.
Yup. If you take a train from Lisbon to the south of France you can get a quick and cheap abortion.
P I N G
True. If not for the Courts, the Left in this country would have virtually no victories to point to in the national Culture War. If limited to the area where their far-left, radical, extremist agenda could be implemented legislatively then they'd have just a handful of states.
Pray for Life!
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
"But in Portugal, the dogma of the Faith will always be preserved." - Our Lady of Fatima
This is hard to understand, Siobhan. What has happened to the good people of Portugal?
"Yup. If you take a train from Lisbon to the south of France you can get a quick and cheap abortion."
No, you most certainly cannot.
In France there are waiting periods, educational requirements, partner notification, abortion is limited to the first ten weeks only, and a general pro-natalist policy. If you want a quick and easy abortion, you are better off flying to the United States, Britain or the Low Countries. France is one of the most difficult lands in Europe in which to get an abortion.
You are invited to peruse the abortion laws of the Republic of France (in English here: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/population/abortion/France.abo.htm).
Oh, this is terrible. Prayers up.
Also, I believe the pro-natalist policies are focused on French citizens, not visitors.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of Hell;
lead all souls into Heaven,
especially those in most need of Thy mercy.
Amen.
Sorry about the link.
It worked yesterday, and I posted it. Of course, maybe there were a lot of hits on an otherwise academic site and they pulled it.
As to visitors, the same laws apply.
For example: parental notification. It is a crime to perform an abortion in France on a minor without parental consent, and the law very specifically applies to foreigners and travellers in France as well as citizens.
France came late to the abortion game, and does not like abortion. Nor will it permit abortion mills to operate. There are strict requirements on WHERE an abortion can be performed, and the laws impose a 25% limit on the total abortion procedures that can be performed by any establishment. So, for example, a hospital or clinic may not have more than 25% of its procedures be abortions in any year. The other 75% of procedures must be something else. Etc. Women seeking an abortion in France have to have a one week waiting period, and the initial interview must provide extensive, state generated information on all of the alternatives to abortion.
Also, although this is difficult to track exactly, the law in France prohibits abortion as a contraceptive purpose. Thus, a woman who has had serial abortions will be turned away in France, because she uses abortion as post-pregnancy birth control. The law prohibits that.
It is a strict law, and it is not likely to get any weaker.
Much like the drug laws, which are perennially tougher in France than in the surrounding countries.
The French are not economically conservative, but are surprisingly conservative on moral matters, heterosexual sex excepted.
Sorry about the link.
It worked yesterday, and I posted it. Of course, maybe there were a lot of hits on an otherwise academic site and they pulled it.
As to visitors, the same laws apply.
For example: parental notification. It is a crime to perform an abortion in France on a minor without parental consent, and the law very specifically applies to foreigners and travellers in France as well as citizens.
France came late to the abortion game, and does not like abortion. Nor will it permit abortion mills to operate. There are strict requirements on WHERE an abortion can be performed, and the laws impose a 25% limit on the total abortion procedures that can be performed by any establishment. So, for example, a hospital or clinic may not have more than 25% of its procedures be abortions in any year. The other 75% of procedures must be something else. Etc. Women seeking an abortion in France have to have a one week waiting period, and the initial interview must provide extensive, state generated information on all of the alternatives to abortion.
Also, although this is difficult to track exactly, the law in France prohibits abortion as a contraceptive purpose. Thus, a woman who has had serial abortions will be turned away in France, because she uses abortion as post-pregnancy birth control. The law prohibits that.
It is a strict law, and it is not likely to get any weaker.
Much like the drug laws, which are perennially tougher in France than in the surrounding countries.
The French are not economically conservative, but are surprisingly conservative on moral matters, heterosexual sex excepted.
If RU486 is involved prior to the hospital admission, then I could see how this could be close to accurate.
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