|  ALFREDO Pérez Rubalcaba has asked the PP government ‘not to regress 30 years’ with its imminent abortion law reform.
The secretary-general for the opposition – and rival presidential candidate in November last year – has called for Mariano Rajoy’s cabinet to ‘respect women’s rights to decide what happens to their own bodies’.
Minister of justice Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón said recently that he would change the law so that women are not automatically entitled to terminate a pregnancy where the foetus presents severe physical or mental handicap, as is the case at the moment.
At present, a pregnancy can be terminated up to the 14th week on any grounds and without the need for clearance from a psychiatrist, or the 22nd if the foetus suffers deformities that could result in serious mental or physical handicap upon birth which would significantly affect its quality of life and that of the mother, or if continuing pregnancy would put the mother’s physical health in danger.
Women aged 16 or over may terminate a pregnancy without having to obtain permission from their parents or guardians.
All of the above is closely in line with the rest of the European Union.
Rubalcaba (pictured) says Spain should respect women’s right to make their own decisions and their freedom to decide whether or not they wish to become mothers – particularly where the child could be born handicapped.
He adds that if the PP government does not take all this into account, his party – the PSOE – will appeal the abortion law reform as soon as it is back in power. |
