Apr 17, 2008 / 08:30 am
The Parliamentary Assembly of the European Council has approved a resolution demanding that the 47 member states “legalize abortion if they have not done so already”, guarantee the so-called “right” to the killing of the unborn, and lift restrictions against abortion.
According to the Efe news agency, the resolution was approved by a vote of 102-69, with 69 abstentions. It also demanded respect for a “woman’s right to choose” and that she be offered everything she needs for a “free and clear choice,” in order to have access to “safe abortion” and improved contraception.
The resolution also stated that abortion “should not be prohibited,” as doing so would not mean a decrease in abortions.
Austrian Socialist lawmaker Gisela Wurm said the purpose of the resolution is so “society can protect women who don’t want to continue with their pregnancies.”
Dutch lawmaker Christine McCafferty said that in her country, “Legal abortion has resulted in the lowest index of voluntary abortions in the world.”
On the other hand, Maltese lawmaker Leo Brincat said, “It is impossible to legalize abortion” in Malta and that Socialists in his country oppose the practice.