World

Spaniards March Over Abortion Law

by Barbara McPherson | October 17, 2009 at 11:36 am

70 views | 40 Recommendations | 2 comments

Changes to Spanish abortion laws have Spaniards marching in protest. Backed by the Roman Catholic Church and conservative Popular Party politicians hundreds of buses brought people to Madrid to protest the liberalisation of the laws regarding abortion.

The demonstration "is not just aimed at the withdrawal of the new law, the basic message is that the debate will continue as long as there is a single abortion in Spain," Benigno Blanco, the head of the Forum for the Family, one of the organisers, told the conservative newspaper ABC.
The proposed abortion law, approved by the cabinet last month, would allow the procedure on demand for 16-year-olds and over up to the 14th week of pregnancy, and up to 22 weeks if there was a risk to the mother's health or if the foetus was deformed.

Women could also undergo the procedure after 22 weeks if the foetus had a serious or incurable illness.

The proposed new law would allow abortions under more circumstances than the current one, passed in 1985.
The current Spanish government led by prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has passed laws since 2004 that have allowed easier divorce, gay marriage and increased rights for transexuals. The Roman Catholic Church has opposed these measures as well

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon