Abortion: Progress and setback

Monaco has ruled out legalising abortion. Its Minister of State told the Principality’s legislative assembly on 26 November that it was rejecting a bill tabled back in May.

It followed news that Prince Albert II, the Principality’s sovereign, refused to follow up on the proposed bill because of the country’s Catholic religion. Legal experts also said the proposals would amount to recognising an actual right to abortion, which was incompatible with Monegasque constitutional principles.

But in the Faroe Islands, the parliament in the autonomous Danish territory voted 17:16 to legalise abortion until the end of the 12th week of pregnancy. The vote overturns one of Europe’s most restrictive abortion laws and follows several earlier attempts for liberalisation.