Portugal is divided ahead of a Sunday referendum on a law legalising abortion which would shift the country from a circle of strictly anti-abortion EU member states, such as Ireland and Poland, towards the European mainstream position on the controversial issue.Supporters of the law are heading the polls before the vote on 11 February but the referendum could still fail to attract the 50 percent of voters needed for it to be binding, similar to a previous vote on the issue in 1998 when only 32 percent of the Portuguese electorate turned out.
However, the then socialist Prime Minister, Antonio Guterres, was a practicing Catholic and campaigned against the legalisation while the current socialist leader, Jose Socrates, argues in favour of changing the strict anti-abortion law.
The ruling socialists have mooted the possibility of introducing the changes through parliament if a majority of citizens approve of the move in the Sunday referendum, even in case of too low turn-out.Mr Socrates says the new law would prevent "the national shame of clandestine abortions" with pro-legalisation groups suggesting 23,000 secret abortions take place every year in Portugal, often in dangerous conditions for women, according to Reuters.
The opponents of the bill - particularly the Catholic Church and pro-life groups - fear the legalisation would pave the way for other liberal laws in the country which has a 90 percent Catholic population, as well as leading to more abortions and higher state health costs. Abortion rules across EuropeUnder the Portuguese bill tabled by the ruling socialists, abortions would be allowed in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy while at the moment they are possible only in rare cases, such as a deformed foetus, the woman's health being at risk or rape.
While in countries like Poland, Malta and Ireland abortion is also severely restricted, only in Portugal women who have had an abortion can be sent to prison for up to three years, according to BBC.
Most EU members allow abortion during the first three months with more or less strict requirements concerning the reasons women can give for legally interrupting their pregnancy.
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