In Florida, abortion rights are to be further restricted. That could pose a problem for Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential ambitions.
Tallahassee – So far, the US state of Florida has allowed abortions up to the 15th week of pregnancy. The law, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law in April 2022, shortened the original 24-week period and provides exceptions if the pregnant woman’s life is in danger or the fetus has fatal abnormalities, but not in the case of rape or incest. Now the Florida parliament only wants to allow abortions up to the 6th week. At this point, many women don’t even know they’re pregnant.
The current law, which allows abortion up to the 15th week of pregnancy, is not restrictive enough for right-wing Republicans. After the Supreme Court delivered the landmark abortion-rights ruling, Roe v. Wade, in June 2022, thirteen US states have now enacted outright bans.
Right-wing populist DeSantis repeatedly promised to expand “pro-life protection”. He recently announced that he will sign a law allowing abortion up to the 6th week. Meanwhile, supporters of abortion rights are taking legal action against the current law, which allows abortions up to the 15th week. During the trial, the challenged law remains in force.
Florida: Parliament wants to limit abortion rights – residents are opposed
Florida’s new bill, which aims to reduce the abortion period to six weeks, provides exceptions up to the 15th week of pregnancy for women who become pregnant through rape or incest. However, this must be proven by providing a restraining order, police report, medical record or “other court order or documentation” – requirements that are often difficult to fulfil, especially in a short space of time.
The new draft law also provides for exceptions if the life of the pregnant woman is in danger and if fatal abnormalities are detected in the fetus before the third trimester. In this case, two medical diagnoses must be available in writing. The new bill would also ban telemedicine services for abortions and mandate that abortion pills can only be dispensed by doctors. If they break the law, they face up to five years in prison.
Restrictions on abortion rights are not well received by people in the US and already ensured that the Republicans performed significantly worse than forecast in the midterm elections in November. While Republican hardliners would love to ban abortion nationwide, yes according to a recent survey 64 percent of people in the US — and also in Florida — want abortion to be legal in most or all cases, while 34 percent want it to be illegal in most or all cases.
Ron DeSantis: “Open to a constitutional protection of life”
DeSantis would oppose this opinion if he were to seek the Republican presidential nomination, which is currently assumed to be the case. When DeSantis ran for Congress in 2012, he told a local newspaperhe was “open to a constitutional protection of life”.
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said to that Miami Herald: “Politicians like Gov. DeSantis are championing ‘freedom for all’ while directly attacking the freedom to make one’s own health decisions.”
Another opponent of the Republican bill is Fentrice Driskell, leader of the Democratic faction in the Florida House of Representatives. Opposite of New York Times she shared, the bill would “make virtually all abortions impossible.” It would also “affect people from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and other southern states who would travel to Florida for abortions.” (Johanna Soll)
