Socialists call for PP’s draft abortion law to be thrown out

The congressional spokeswoman for the main opposition Socialist Party (PSOE), Soraya Rodríguez, on Thursday described the ruling conservative Popular Party’s proposed amendments to the abortion law as “pitiful” and “shameful.”

Rodríguez also announced a parliamentary initiative aimed at making congressional voting on the draft law secret, to allow dissident members of the PP to express their opposition to the bill.

The legislation, drawn up by Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, removes the right to an abortion in the case of serious fetal malformation. The current law, which was introduced in 2010 by the then-Socialist government, allows for women to access abortion on demand during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, with no restrictions.

Rodríguez said the PSOE wants Gallardón, Health Minister Ana Mato and Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría to appear in Congress to be questioned on the proposed legislation.

The PSOE’s proposals have the backing of the United Left (IU) group. IU deputy Gaspar Llamazares described the bill as “counter-reformist,” “inquisitorial” and a “brutal assault” on women, and also called for it to be withdrawn.

The PP, which has an absolute majority in Congress, said it would move to quash the Socialists’ initiative and ruled out an internal debate within the party on the issue. “The political position is clear and was included in our electoral program,” PP deputy José Antonio Bermúdez de Castro said.

Internal opposition

The PP premiers of Extremadura and Galicia, José Antonio Monago and Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and the central government’s delegate to Madrid, Cristina Cifuentes, as well as the mayors of Zamora and Valladolid, have all come out against the law. Monago said in his year-end speech that “no one can force a woman to become a mother.”

PSOE official Óscar López said in an interview on Thursday with radio station Cadena Ser that he was confident that there would be some members of the PP who would not toe the party line in Congress on the abortion issue. Hence, the Socialists’ proposal that any vote on the issue in the lower house be made secret.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has called a meeting of the executive committee of the PP for Wednesday, when the abortion issue is likely to be discussed.