Portugal will have Referendum on Abortion

Lord Patel has previously reported on the erratic progress to introducing abortion legislation in Portgual in October and November 2005.

Now the ruling Socialist Party have made a proposal for another referendum on the subject "de um referendo sobre a interrupção voluntária da gravidez realizada por opção da mulher nas primeiras dez semanas." (Press release)

The opposition Christian Democrats, however, want to keep the position as the 1998 law on abortion "as a matter of principle."

The referendum proposed could legalize abortion during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. Portugal last voted on a similar referendum in 1998, when a small majority voted to keep abortion illegal. The Portuguese government made a half hearted attempt attempt to hold another referendum in November 2005, but the country's constitutional court blocked that because President Jorge Sampaio had rejected the option earlier in that legislative session on grounds that not enough people were likely to vote.

It is of interest that the Vatican or The Holy See has treaties - or concordats - in place with member states of the EU (although not a member themselves although like North Korea they use the Euro as currency), including Italy, Latvia and Portugal, but clauses on religious conscientious objections only relate to exemptions from military service.

However discussions were reported in January of draft treaty / concordat between Slovakia and the Holy See to allow hospital staff to refuse to do abortions or fertility treatment on religious grounds. There have been persistent reports from Slovakia of forced sterilization of Roma people, common in the Communist era but apparently not completeley eradicated.

A new draft report from the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women accuses the Czech government of failing to fully answer the claims of more than 80 Roma women who have come forward since 2004, complaining of being sterilised without giving their informed consent.

SWISS - HEALTH INSURANCE DISCOUNTS TO RENOUNCE DRUGS AND ABORTION

The Swiss voted in June 2002 to legalise abortion within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and Basic health insurance, which covers abortion, is mandatory in Switzerland.

Sansan, which is part of Switzerland's biggest health insurer Helsana and Auxilia part of the country's number two health insurer CSS introduced discounts of 10-40% , if insurers sign a voluntary declaration agreeing to renounce abortion and methadone treatment for heroin addiction, discounts depend on age, family size and where they live.Pro-Life groups, endorse and promote these discounts.

Josef Zisyadis a Swiss Communist Labour Party MP is trying to stop this preferential treatment and has the support of 14 other MP's and the National Advisory Commission on Biomedical Ethics, who say the practice is morally wrong and undermines the principle of solidarity enshrined in the health insurance system.