Portugal’s Socialist government has pushed a law of legalizing abortion, bypassing an earlier promise to hold a referendum on the issue.
Although, previously abortions were allowed in cases of rape, a health threat to the mother or serious fetal abnormality. However, the new proposals would give abortion consent to all women until the 10th week of pregnancy.
But the leader of Partido Popular, which campaigned against the change, said the prime minister was acting too hastily.
Till date, Portugal has the most restrictive abortion laws in the European Union. It allows abortions up to the 12th week to save a woman’s life or to preserve her mental or physical health.
Women seeking to terminate their pregnancies travel to EU countries where it is legal, especially private clinics across the border in Spain where abortion is permitted on psychological grounds, or resort to shady, back-street clinics at home.
Prime Minister Jose Socrates, leader of the Socialist party, said,
Portugal will now tackle abortion in the same way as most other developed European countries.
However, women seeking an abortion will first have to go through counseling,
so that the decision is a considered one, not taken out of desperation.
