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| Portugal will legalise abortion | Portugal will legalise abortion |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Prime Minister Jose Socrates has said abortion will be legalised in Portugal despite the turnout for a referendum being too low to be legally binding. | Prime Minister Jose Socrates has said abortion will be legalised in Portugal despite the turnout for a referendum being too low to be legally binding. |
| Turnout was about 40%, far less than the 50% required, but of those who did vote, 59.3% backed a proposed change to the current law. | Turnout was about 40%, far less than the 50% required, but of those who did vote, 59.3% backed a proposed change to the current law. |
| The proposal allows all women abortion until the 10th week of pregnancy. | The proposal allows all women abortion until the 10th week of pregnancy. |
| Currently abortions are only allowed in cases of rape, a health threat to the mother or serious foetal abnormality. | Currently abortions are only allowed in cases of rape, a health threat to the mother or serious foetal abnormality. |
| The people spoke with a clear voice Prime Minister Jose Socrates Path to legal abortion | The people spoke with a clear voice Prime Minister Jose Socrates Path to legal abortion |
| "The law will now be discussed and approved in parliament," Mr Socrates said. "Our interest is to fight clandestine abortion and we have to produce a law that respects the result of the referendum." | "The law will now be discussed and approved in parliament," Mr Socrates said. "Our interest is to fight clandestine abortion and we have to produce a law that respects the result of the referendum." |
| "The people spoke with a clear voice," he added. | "The people spoke with a clear voice," he added. |
| But the leader of Partido Popular, which campaigned against the change, said the prime minister was acting too hastily. | But the leader of Partido Popular, which campaigned against the change, said the prime minister was acting too hastily. |
| "Socrates will be responsible for this sad chapter in Portugal's history, for insisting on a political move that has split Portuguese society," said Jose Ribeiro e Castro. | "Socrates will be responsible for this sad chapter in Portugal's history, for insisting on a political move that has split Portuguese society," said Jose Ribeiro e Castro. |
| "Low voter turnout has confirmed that (abortion) was not a critical issue." | "Low voter turnout has confirmed that (abortion) was not a critical issue." |
| Going abroad | Going abroad |
| Portugal currently has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the European Union. Only Ireland, Malta and Poland have such similarly strict legislation. | Portugal currently has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the European Union. Only Ireland, Malta and Poland have such similarly strict legislation. |
| Guide to Europe's abortion rules | Guide to Europe's abortion rules |
| The mainly Catholic country currently allows abortions up the 12th week to save a woman's life or to preserve her mental or physical health. | The mainly Catholic country currently allows abortions up the 12th week to save a woman's life or to preserve her mental or physical health. |
| In cases of rape, abortions are allowed within 16 weeks. The limit is 24 weeks if there is a risk that the child will be born with an incurable disease or deformity. | In cases of rape, abortions are allowed within 16 weeks. The limit is 24 weeks if there is a risk that the child will be born with an incurable disease or deformity. |
| As a result many Portuguese women go to Spain for terminations or resort to illegal abortions. | As a result many Portuguese women go to Spain for terminations or resort to illegal abortions. |
| Some women have abortions done in unsanitary conditions and risk ending up with infections or other serious complications from which they may die. | Some women have abortions done in unsanitary conditions and risk ending up with infections or other serious complications from which they may die. |
| In a referendum held in 1998, voters upheld the existing abortion law by 51% to 49%, but the result was declared void as nearly seven out of 10 voters stayed away. | In a referendum held in 1998, voters upheld the existing abortion law by 51% to 49%, but the result was declared void as nearly seven out of 10 voters stayed away. |
| The Socialists made holding another referendum part of their election platform in 2005. | The Socialists made holding another referendum part of their election platform in 2005. |
| Jail threat | Jail threat |
| Voters were being asked to decide whether to make abortion legal in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, if carried out at the woman's request in a registered clinic. | Voters were being asked to decide whether to make abortion legal in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, if carried out at the woman's request in a registered clinic. |
| But since the wording says nothing about the woman having to justify her decision, those against the reform say it is abortion on demand. | But since the wording says nothing about the woman having to justify her decision, those against the reform say it is abortion on demand. |
| The idea of sending someone to prison for having an illegal abortion is universally unpopular - the offence carries a jail sentence of up to three years. | The idea of sending someone to prison for having an illegal abortion is universally unpopular - the offence carries a jail sentence of up to three years. |
| But many people in the staunchly Catholic country want the crime on the statute books to stop abortion becoming routine. | But many people in the staunchly Catholic country want the crime on the statute books to stop abortion becoming routine. |
| The Catholic Church has gone further, saying that Catholics, who account for 90% of Portugal's population, must oppose abortion. | The Catholic Church has gone further, saying that Catholics, who account for 90% of Portugal's population, must oppose abortion. |
| "Whatever the motives that justify this dramatic act in the eyes of a woman, it is always the denial of a place in the world for a human life that was conceived," Cardinal Jose da Cruz Policarpo, the Patriarch of Lisbon, has said. | "Whatever the motives that justify this dramatic act in the eyes of a woman, it is always the denial of a place in the world for a human life that was conceived," Cardinal Jose da Cruz Policarpo, the Patriarch of Lisbon, has said. |
| What is your reaction to the outcome of the referendum? Did you vote? Send us your comments using the form below. | |