Abortion law scrapped
Sunday, September 14, 2014 @ 4:12 PM
A CONTROVERSIAL law effectively making abortion illegal in almost every circumstance has been shelved as the PP government fear it will damage their election chances.
Minister of justice Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón had originally stated that the law would be approved after the summer, and that this was definite and there was no going back.
When asked exactly when he expected to do so, the minister replied: "For me, summer ends at exactly the same time as when it ends for the Met office."
Officially, summer ends on September 21.
But lack of consensus within the party means the abortion reform is said to be on hold 'indefinitely'.
It had already been approved by the Prosecution Council, although with only eight votes in favour to four against - and those in favour even wanted to amend it so that women who had abortions outside the restrictions of the law would face prison.
The legislation reform would have repealed the law of 2010 which, for the first time, allowed a woman to terminate a pregnancy for any reason up to 14 weeks, and up to 22 weeks where the foetus would be deformed - and removed the need for parental consent for women aged 16 and 17 but under 18.
Returning Spain to the first-ever law legalising abortion in 1985 but in a far more restrictive format, the law text only allowed a termination in the event of the pregnancy being the result of a rape - and even then, only up to the 12th week - or where the mother's life or health was in serious danger.
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