Posted on 06/21/2007 5:43:31 PM PDT by monomaniac
LISBON, Portugal, June 21, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Portugal threw away some of the strictest restrictions on abortion in Europe after a new law went into effect on June 15 that offers free abortions up to the tenth week of pregnancy, reports the International Herald Tribune.
Previously, abortion was illegal except for cases of rape, incest, malformation of the fetus or if the health of the mother was seriously endangered. Abortion was only permitted up to the twelfth week of pregnancy (see http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/apr/07041001.html).
At present, the new law permits abortion on demand up to ten weeks into the pregnancy. Abortions can be obtained at private clinics or else received free of charge at hospitals, reports the Tribune. Catholic doctors are free to refrain from performing an abortion on the grounds of conscience.
A slight restriction remains, in that women must have a three-day "reflection period" prior to having the abortion. Once the procedure has taken place, they must participate in mandatory education classes on contraception.
The law went through after a referendum on February 11 that was slightly in favor of easing the abortion laws. Like an earlier referendum in 1998, however, less than half of the population voted, thus making the results invalid. Despite this fact, socialist Prime Minister Jose Socrates continued to push for fewer restrictions until President Anibal Cavaco Silva finally rubber-stamped the new legislation in March (see http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/mar/07030806.html).
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Socialist Portugal Government to Introduce Abortion Vote January 2007 http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/sep/06091803.html
Ruling Socialists in Portugal Will Introduce Bill to Legalize Abortion in September http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/jun/06063005.html
Portugal Anti-Abortion Demonstration Draws 18,000 Pro-Life Supporters http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jan/07012901.html
How about mandatory sterilization instead?
Cart before the horse.
Try to pingify tomorrow.
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