Controversial Abortion Law Changes Spark Heated Debate in Portugal's Parliament

Parliamentary discussions about the abortion law are back on the agenda this Friday at the Assembly of the Republic, initiated by the Socialist Party (PS). The left-wing parties are pushing to extend the current legal limit of ten weeks of gestation. However, these proposals are expected to face strong opposition from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and Chega, who have pledged to vote against them.

Key Proposals: The discussions revolve around legislative initiatives proposing to extend the limit to 12 or 14 weeks. Notably, the PSD's parliamentary leader, Hugo Soares, has publicly announced their opposition to all projects concerning voluntary pregnancy termination, aligning with Chega and CDS-PP.

Despite this, Socialist deputy Isabel Moreira has urged the PSD to support the PS, distancing from Chega's stance. The PS's proposal includes:

• Extending the legal limit from ten to 12 weeks
• Ending the reflection period
• Clarifying the law on conscientious objection to prevent it from acting as an obstruction

Other leftist parties, including BE, Livre, and PCP, also advocate for extending the legal timeframe for abortion. The communists suggest 12 weeks and 14 weeks in cases of life-threatening conditions. The Bloco and Livre support the PS's call to eliminate the reflection period, proposing a 14-week extension instead.

The PAN aims to enhance support for women during pre-abortion consultations and regulate the conscientious objection rights of healthcare professionals. In contrast, Chega's proposal includes requiring pregnant women to undergo an examination to see and hear the fetal heartbeat, while CDS-PP supports the presence of conscientious objectors during pre-abortion consultations.