Uruguay Lawmakers Fail To Override Presidential Veto Of Bill That Would Decriminalize Abortion

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 25 Nov 2008 - 8:00 PDT

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Lawmakers in Uruguay last week failed to garner the three-fifths vote in each chamber needed to override the recent presidential veto of a bill that would have decriminalized abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy, AFP/Yahoo! News reports (AFP/Yahoo! News, 11/20). The bill would have loosened restrictions on access to abortion, which is severely limited under current law (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 11/13). According to BBC News, abortion currently is permitted only in cases of rape or if the life of the woman is in danger (BBC News, 11/14).

President Tabare Vazquez vetoed the bill last week after the Roman Catholic Church expressed "deep discomfort" with the measure, according to AFP/Yahoo! News. Vazquez said he vetoed the bill because it included elements "with which I disagree, philosophically and biologically." AFP/Yahoo! News reports that some members of the ruling party failed in their attempt to convince Vazquez to support the bill or allow a referendum on the measure. A recent poll showed that 57% of Uruguayans support access to abortion, while 42% do not (AFP/Yahoo! News, 11/20).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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