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So far, abortion in Portugal is only allowed in special ocasions (rape, health related issues, and fetus malformation). However, in February, there will be voting to decide wether or not the state will make abortion legal for any reason on the first 10 weeks. Yes, short time, but better than nothing, and it's a start.

As usual, especially considering this is a catholic country, there's a lot of opponents. While the "yes" side seems to have more supporters among the people, the "no" is a lot more vocal. Recently, there was a march for life. While the organisers say there were 20k people there, the police says it was more like around 10k.

The reasons for those people to be against abortion are pretty much the same old. Only one person said something somewhat new: There's more important affairs to take care of in hospitals than women aborting. I can see where he's coming from. Our hospital system is horrible, especially for surgical procedures. Some people have been called for surgery after they died.

All pro-life movements feel that instead of legalising abortion, we should simply make more daycare centers, and anything to help single parents, or parents with economical dificulties. Others say the true solution for the problem is education and better family planning. Some of them also feel that abortion should be illegal, period, exept for times where the mother's life is at stake.

This is not the first abortion voting going on. The last one was something like, 11 years ago, and the "no" won. Both sides decided to take down some tactics used back then. The pro-life side decided to stop using the fetus images, and pro-choice side, decided to stop using sentences such as "I'm the one in charge of my uterus!". Both sides have politics and other public figures with them.

In the end, I do not believe I can contribute with my vote. Why? I'm 17. Even tough I just registred, I don't think I'm already allowed to vote (will have to look into that). If I cannot, then I shall have to hope that the "yes" wins, and this country gets one step closer to fuly respect women's rights.

EDIT: Messed up on some of the info sweatdrop The voting is about abortion on the first 10 weeks, not 4 >_<

It certainly sounds like the "sensible" people have already won, since there seems to be intelligent, and non-violent discourse on both sides instead of what we have in the US, AND instead of the Lifer's just sitting there condemning women for having abortions, they're attempting to create an atmosphere where abortions are unnecessary. Of course, it would also be nice if they did that AND made abortions legal, but they're still acting sensible on all sides.

Quite true. Altough, we may never really get as the US, since there's no clinics to bomb, but still, we had a guy that was US-like-ish. He handed panflets with abortion "facts" that contained things such as, selling fetus as actual food, and the same old disturbing pictures... I think he was arrested, or at least he got the law on his a**, since was handing them in schools, to kids as young as 6 ( eek ), and yeah, that's about it. Chances are, we'll not see any official religious statement from the major pro-life groups, since they also decided to put religious arguments aside. Of course, the Catholic church will step in once in a while, but it'll be on it's own it seems.

Of course. And we have our share of asshats as well.

Overall, however, they certainly seem to be acting sensibly and rationally. Instead of merely condemning the people who want an abortion, the pro-life side is trying to help (not hinder) them, and the Pro-Choice side, instead of screaming incomprehensibly and yelling "MISOGYNIST!" at every turn, is talking rationally.

I do hope for the legalisation. biggrin Good luck.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6350651.stm

59.3% of voters voted "yes" to the 10th week idea, although turnout was about 40%. Socrates will now try to push the law through Parliament.