By Roberto Paglialonga
Liechtenstein’s parliament has approved, by 13 votes to 12, a bill that would legalise abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy. The assembly subsequently rejected, by the same margin, a proposal to put the measure to a referendum.
The bill would significantly ease the principality’s current abortion laws, according to which abortion is currently punishable by up to three years in prison for doctors who perform it, with limited exceptions, including serious danger to the woman’s life or health, pregnancy resulting from a sexual crime, or pregnancy involving a girl under 14. The law also prohibits the dissemination of information about abortion and services available abroad.
The prince’s veto
The legislation must now be approved by Hereditary Prince Alois, who has exercised the powers of head of state since 2004 after his father, Prince Hans-Adam II, delegated them to him.
Alois has six months to sanction the law. If he does not do so by the deadline, expected in March 2027, the legislation is considered rejected.
A change in the law therefore appears unlikely. In an interview with the Liechtensteiner Vaterland about three months ago, Alois indicated that he would veto legislation of this kind, citing “the central legal interest of the protection of life”.
Popular initiative
The bill originated in a popular initiative that collected 4,970 signatures over several months, roughly a quarter of the electorate. Only 1,000 signatures were required for the proposal to be submitted to parliament. The initiative called for abortion to be non-punishable during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the repeal of the ban on information about abortion and the coverage of abortion costs by health insurance.
A similar initiative was rejected by voters in 2011, when more than 52% voted against it.
The Church’s position
The Catholic Church also opposed the 2011 initiative. On 21 August, Bishop Benno Elbs, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Vaduz, published a statement recalling the Church’s teaching on the protection of unborn life.
“The unborn child possesses an intrinsic and inalienable dignity from the beginning and therefore deserves the same protection afforded to every human life,” he wrote. Referring also to words spoken by St John Paul II during his 1985 visit to Liechtenstein, Elbs said that “this responsibility must not be forgotten even today”.
The bishop called for “a society in which women and couples are not left alone and in which saying yes to life becomes possible”.
Liechtenstein has not had a maternity ward for several years, meaning that women must travel abroad to give birth. Elbs expressed concern that women have to seek maternity care in neighbouring countries while the country discusses creating conditions for abortion at home.
“My desire is that together we can build a society in which every child is welcomed and every mother and father receive the support they need to make the right decision for their child,” he said. “A society that protects life must also be a society that does not abandon people in difficulty.” – Vatican News
