Brussels, 14/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 14 January, several MEPs, including Françoise Castex (S&D, France) launched a call for support for Spanish women and signed an emergency declaration on the recent draft law restricting abortion rights, said the French MEP.
MEPs stated that “it is with serious concern that we, European and national parliamentarians, have learned of the Spanish government's proposal to revoke current legislation on sexual and reproductive health rights and voluntary termination of pregnancy”.
On 20 December last, the Spanish Council of Ministers adopted the draft law on “the protection of the rights of the unborn child and pregnant women”. This draft law withdraws a woman's right to decide on their own health and will only allow abortion in the event of rape or if the pregnancy creates a serious risk to the physical or mental health of the woman. This law also withdraws the right to terminate a pregnancy in the event of the foetus being deformed, which has been allowed under Spanish law on abortion since 1985. Castex is concerned that, µ
“if this law is adopted, it will create a situation where Spanish women are once again put in the position of whether they go abroad for a safe and legal abortion if they have the money or whether they have an illegal abortion in secret, which would be a huge risk to their health. Any abortion that is not carried out in one of the two legal scenarios will be considered a crime, both for the woman having to undergo the operation and the health professionals involved”.
The draft law, however, has not got unanimous support within Prime Minister Rajoy's People's Party. 68% of the People's Party (PP) voters are against this initiative.
At a press conference in Strasbourg on Wednesday 15 January, the GUE/NGL will present a petition against the new law on abortion in Spain. (SP/transl.fl)