Uruguayan lawmakers to vote on legalization of abortion

Montevideo, Uruguay, Nov 3, 2008 / 09:53 am

The Uruguayan House of Representatives is set to vote November 4 on a reproductive health bill that would legalize abortion in the country. Pro-abortion lawmakers have been strategizing how to get the measure approved despite President Tabare Vasquez’s threat to veto it.
 
According to the newspaper El Pais, “There will be suspense up to the last minute, but next week the law that would legalize abortion has a great chance of coming up for vote. In any case, the ruling party faces a complicated situation:  the presidential veto continues to exist.”
 
The newspaper reported that if all 99 representatives show up for the vote, passage could be difficult as supporters would be just shy of enough votes to get the measure approved. Only if some representatives are absent for the vote would its passage be almost assured.  However, there are not enough votes in favor of the bill to override the certain presidential veto. 
 
Pro-life officials told CNA the same bill was rejected by the Senate in 2007 and “was fraudulently sent by senators to the House as if it had been approved.”
 
Pro-abortion senators were able to bring the measure before the full body again arguing that not all the senators were present for the vote, and the measure was passed.  In the House of Representatives, the bill went before the Committee on Health Care, where the vote was tied.  Normally this means the measure would die, but the Committee decided to nonetheless to send the measure to the floor for a full vote.