Portugal Socialists seek 2005 abortion referendum
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Portugal’s ruling Socialists introduced legislation on Tuesday to allow a referendum to ease strict abortion laws to be held this year, a party spokesman said on Wednesday.
The Socialists had promised a referendum during their campaign ahead of February elections. A spokesman for the Socialist parliamentary bloc said the legislation was filed on Tuesday and a vote is set for July 8.
“Our proposal is to create the conditions so that the president can set out a period for the referendum that we want and we propose to hold this year,” Lusa news agency quoted Socialist parliamentary leader Alberto Martins as saying after meeting Prime Minister Jose Socrates on Tuesday.
The proposed legislation in part would trim the minimum time required for the president to call a referendum to 40 days from 60 days. It would also make a simple parliamentary majority enough to approve a referendum, rather than the two-thirds majority needed now.
Abortions are banned in Portugal except when carried out because of danger to the life or health of the mother, a malformed foetus or rape.
A 1998 referendum marked by low voter turnout narrowly defeated a proposal to allow abortion on demand up to 10 weeks into pregnancy.
The Family Planning Association has estimated there are 20,000 to 40,000 illegal abortions a year in Portugal and about 700 legal ones.
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