Portugal Fails to Overturn Abortion Law

Portuguese nun Maria Jesus Fernandes, 72, casts her ballot in the national referendum on whether to legalize abortion Sunday, Feb. 11 2007, in Porto, northern Portugal. Portugal has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. (AP Photo/Paulo Duarte) (Paulo Duarte - AP)

It was the second time in less than 10 years that a referendum on the deeply divisive issue failed to draw enough voters in Portugal. In 1998, a majority of voters rejected a similar proposal; the referendum was declared void because of a low turnout, and Portugal's policy remained unchanged.

Socrates, whose party took power in a landslide victory almost two years ago after he promised broad reforms and national modernization, described Portugal's current law as "backward."

One voter, Carlos Sousa, 56, condemned the existing legislation Sunday: "It's a bad law, not suited to our society."

But Maria Candida Duarte, 72, said she wanted to keep the strict policies in place.

"It's imperative to maintain our position. A child has a right to life _ from conception," she said.

The current law merely drives abortion underground, Socrates said. Women seeking to terminate their pregnancies travel to EU countries where it is legal, especially to private clinics across the border in Spain where abortion is permitted on psychological grounds, or resort to shady, back-alley clinics at home.

Abortion rights activists say about 10,000 women are hospitalized every year with complications arising from botched, illegal abortions.

"Portugal will now tackle abortion in the same way as most other developed European countries," Socrates said. Women seeking an abortion will first go through counseling "so that the decision is a considered one, not taken out of desperation," he said.

It could still be some time, however, before the law is changed. A bill would have to be voted on first in parliament and then go to the president for approval. It would come into force only when the new legislation is published in the public records _ a procedure that usually takes several months.

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Associated Press Writer Joana Mateus contributed to this report.