Abortion reform unpopular in Spain

Two hundred and seventeen thousand signatures on a formal petition were handed in to congress to protest against the ‘restrictive’ abortion law reforms.

The citizen’s associations of Decidir (Decide) and Avaaz have handed in the petitions; they are supported by the opposition (PSOE) as well as many other political parties.

The PSOE spokesperson has assured the associations that the law reforms “cannot be negotiated or improved upon, only taken away.”

Luis Morago, president of Avaaz, commented that the restrictive laws would lead to more “backstreet” abortions and would generate a lack of equality between those who could afford to go abroad for an abortion and those condemned to have the baby or go to an illegal clinic.

The petition has the support of almost all the opposition parties who wish for it to be debated in the upcoming European elections.

“We want to make the electoral campaigns a space for debate and dialogue between the people and the government,” commented Morago.

He went on to add “the people never asked for a reform to the law, we were happy with the previous one and want it to remain.”