Spanish PM drops pro-life legislation amid party divisions

Spain’s government has abandoned its attempt to increase limitations on abortion access, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced Tuesday, citing party divisions.

Originally proposed in December by Spain’s ruling People’s Party (PP), the legislation failed to draw support from Spain’s electorate. Although thousands marched in Madrid on Sunday to encourage the bill’s passage, polls showed 80 percent of Spain’s largely Catholic population opposed the legislation, The Wall Street Journal reported. And abortion is becoming more common. Spain’s abortion rate has increased from 60,000 in 1999 to 112,000 in 2012, according to estimates from the Spanish government.

Because the PP holds the majority in Spain’s parliament, it can pass laws without the support of other parties. But the legislation also divided the PP. Attempts at consensus failed, and Rajoy’s cabinet decided not submit the bill to parliament.

“We can’t have a law that will be changed when another government comes in,” the prime minister said. Instead, he proposed a less division restriction: raising the age range for parental consent for abortions from 16 and under to 17 and under.

The announcement prompted the resignation of Justice Minister Alberto Ruíz Gallardon, who crafted the legislation.

Abortion advocates hailed Rajoy’s decision, claiming that Spain remains consistent with the European standard for abortion rights. But pro-life advocates in Spain felt betrayed by Rajoy’s decision, since he made a pre-election promise to pass tougher abortion restrictions.

The PP, which has sided with the Catholic Church on moral and social issues, came to power in 2011. The proposed legislation would have limited abortion to cases of rape and severe threats to the mother’s health. The current law, passed by the Socialist party in 2010, allows women to obtain elective abortions up to the 14th week of pregnancy. It also allows abortions up to the 22nd week in cases threatening the mother’s health or involving severe fetal abnormalities.

Local media claimed Rajoy dropped the legislation rather than risk losing votes in next year’s elections. But he claimed his party’s division motivated his decision. Political analysts noted dropping the legislation likely will cost Rajoy votes from right-leaning members of the electorate, Reuters reported.

Following Rajoy’s announcement, Spain’s Right to Life said they would campaign against the PP. “This government made a promise to change the law,” Gádor Joya, a Right to Life spokeswoman, told The Wall Street Journal. “[It] doesn’t deserve the confidence of Spanish voters.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.