Spain Moves to Constitutionally Protect Abortion Rights Amidst Controversy Over “Post-Abortion Syndrome”
Madrid, spain – Spain’s government announced Friday it will seek a constitutional amendment to enshrine the right to abortion, a move triggered by a recent proposal from Madrid’s city council to inform women seeking abortions about the unscientific concept of “post-abortion syndrome.”
The controversy began Tuesday when Madrid’s city hall, led by the conservative Popular Party (PP), approved a measure requiring medical services to provide information about the alleged syndrome – described in the proposal as potentially leading to alcohol adn drug use, suicidal thoughts, and increased cancer risk. The proposal further claimed information about the syndrome was being “deliberately hidden” and characterized abortion as a financially motivated practice driven by feminist ideology.
Following widespread criticism, Madrid’s PP mayor José Luis Almeida conceded Thursday that “post-abortion syndrome” is not a “recognised scientific category” and stated informing women about it would no longer be mandatory.
Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez responded on X (formerly Twitter),accusing the PP of aligning with the far-right and announcing his government’s plan to submit a proposal to parliament to constitutionally protect abortion access.
While Spain decriminalized abortion in 1985 for cases of rape, fetal malformation, or risk to the mother’s health, the law was broadened in 2010 to allow abortion on demand during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy. Despite these legal advancements, access remains challenging for some spanish women, with many doctors in the public sector refusing to perform the procedure.
Constitutional reform in Spain requires a three-fifths majority in parliament, necessitating support from opposition lawmakers. France was the first country globally to enshrine the right to abortion in its constitution,doing so in 2023.
