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Principality says no to legalizing abortion
Source: Agencies |
September 19, 2011, Monday
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Voters in the tiny European principality of Liechtenstein yesterday rejected a plan to legalize abortion, following a bitterly fought campaign during which the country's prince threatened to veto the proposal.
Opponents won the referendum with a majority of 514 votes, out of 11,510 ballots cast. The official count put no votes at 52.3 percent, ahead of 47.7 percent favoring the plan to decriminalize abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy or if the child is severely disabled.
Under existing law, women who have an abortion risk a year in prison, except in cases where the mother's life is in danger or she was under 14 when she became pregnant. Doctors who carry out an abortion can go to prison for three years.
Campaigners for the change argued that the threat of prosecution meant women had to go secretly to neighboring Austria or Switzerland.
But opponents in the Roman Catholic-majority country warned the proposal went too far and could lead to late-term abortions of disabled children. Their concerns were echoed by Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, the country's de facto ruler, who said he would use his veto power to block decriminalization.
Opponents won the referendum with a majority of 514 votes, out of 11,510 ballots cast. The official count put no votes at 52.3 percent, ahead of 47.7 percent favoring the plan to decriminalize abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy or if the child is severely disabled.
Under existing law, women who have an abortion risk a year in prison, except in cases where the mother's life is in danger or she was under 14 when she became pregnant. Doctors who carry out an abortion can go to prison for three years.
Campaigners for the change argued that the threat of prosecution meant women had to go secretly to neighboring Austria or Switzerland.
But opponents in the Roman Catholic-majority country warned the proposal went too far and could lead to late-term abortions of disabled children. Their concerns were echoed by Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, the country's de facto ruler, who said he would use his veto power to block decriminalization.
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