Conservatives Want To Restrict Abortions In Spain

Efforts to revert to abortion restrictions which mimic the dictator Franco’s policies, conservatives in Spain want to amend the liberalized abortion laws and criminalize the procedure, PRIreports.

With the formerly socialist government, Spain’s government changed their abortion laws in 2006, allowing women to get an abortion until 14 weeks.

The large network of conservatives in Spain, predominantly Catholics, have long called abortions a crime and not a right. During dictator General Francisco Franco’s rule, only three exceptions made it possible for women to get an abortion: cases of rape, when a woman’s health would be jeopardized or if the fetus was deformed.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and his conservative government wish to bring back the “exception laws” but want to take it one step further and omit the deformed fetus portion of the bill.

“The idea is that women who want to be mothers shouldn’t be able to get abortions due to social, economic and family pressures,” Spain’s Health Minister Ana Mato said, according to PRI.

Increasingly, conservative Spaniards consider the abortion bans as progressive.

Nicolas de Carcedeas, with the Spanish chapter of Right to Life spoke on Spanish TV:

“If the abortion law is amended, it would be the first time in thirty years that we see an advancement in the protection of life in Spain.”

In a report from the Catholic Exchange, entitled “Who wants abortion in Spain,” conservatives were shown strongly supporting the abortion bans. The report also suggested the American media is overplaying the presence of pro-choice supporters.

Many feel Spain is greatly divided though. During former socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s term, many progressive laws were passed including the legalization of gay marriage and liberalized abortion.

Socialist leader Purificacion Causapie said Zapatero’s progressive laws put Spain on par with the rest of Europe:

“Rajoy’s proposal would put us at the bottom of the line in Europe, with regard to rights and liberties for women.”