_WORLD WATCH______________________________
________________Switzerland_______________
Legal abortion approved
Immediate challenge preserves the status quo
The Swiss Parliament has voted to legalize abortion, after eight years of debate on the issue.
The centrist Christian People’s Party immediately challenged the decision and said it would begin an effort to collect 100,000 signatures to force a referendum allowed under the law. That would prevent the law from taking effect before the national vote, which is unlikely to be held for several years. The Christian People’s Party is a member of the coalition government.
While abortion on demand is technically illegal, a woman may obtain one if her doctor says there are “sound medical reasons.” In practice, the letter is easy to obtain and many abortions are performed in state-run hospitals and private clinics.