Netherlands rejects abortion as human right

Parliamentarians in the Netherlands have voted to reject a bill which would have made abortion a human right. Instead, they subsequently passed a Christian-backed motion further distancing the nation from the further liberalisation of the issue.

Liberal party Democrats 66 (D66) had initially tabled a bill calling on the state to “enshrine the right to abortion in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights”, following the lead set by what it described as leading “like-minded countries”.

However, the bill, which was supported by several liberal and left-wing parties, only received 68 out of a possible 150 votes and just days later, the House of Representatives instead narrowly passed a Christian-backed motion distancing the nation from such action.