Malformation of fetus will no longer be reason for abortion: minister

Malformation of the fetus will no longer be a valid cause for abortion in Spain, said Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón of the Popular Party (PP).

In an interview with the newspaper La Razón, the conservative politician (who was until recently mayor of Madrid) said that a legislative reform is in the works for the fall, and that it will review the current abortion system created in 2010 by the previous Socialist administration to bring Spain in line with other European countries.

Gallardón is planning to eliminate abortion on demand until week 14, and return to something closer to the previous system that only permitted pregnancy terminations in the cases of rape, physical or mental risk for the mother and fetal malformation – except the malformation clause will be eliminated, too.

Pro-choice groups and left-wing politicians said that this decision attacks women’s rights and will align Spain with fundamentalist countries, while pro-lifers called it “historical progress.”