The government of Spain has passed a restrictive new abortion law that states a woman can have an abortion only under the circumstances of rape or if the pregnancy poses a danger to her life. A law put into effect three years ago said a woman could receive an abortion up until her 14th week with no restrictions. Now Spain’s conservative government will only allow an abortion under extreme circumstances including a fetal deformity that would place a child’s life in danger when born. Prochoice advocates erupted in anger over the new law saying it will set the country back over 30 years.
If the law passes parliament pregnant teens will once again need to obtain their parent’s permission before getting an abortion. The government made the move in an effort to honor family values. The country has a large Catholic population and in Madrid thousands of people attended a mass celebrating the idea of the family and supporting the new law. The Archbishop Antonio Rouco Varela led the outdoor mass in Colon Square and spoke about “the gift of life” calling it “sacred” and saying it should “not be tampered with.” Pope Francis gave his blessing during the mass using a video link from the Vatican.
While many support the new law and believe it will pass parliament many pro-choice advocates believe the bill is an attack on women’s rights. Most opposition parties and women’s groups have been fighting the bill. Protests broke out Friday night as 1,000 people marched toward the Justice Ministry. Demonstrators got into confrontations with police and four were arrested. A woman seeking an abortion in Spain will now need the approval of two doctors who can refuse to perform the procedure if it goes against their conscience. According to Fox News the 100,000 to 118,000 abortions performed in Spain each year will now be illegal.
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