On Friday, the historic bill came from the government. The limit for self-determined abortion shall be extended from week 12 to week 18. The same limit shall apply to fetal reductions. The Center Party does not support the changes and has dissented in government. However, several of the party’s parliamentary politicians will still vote for the government’s proposals in these two areas, news has confirmed. One of them is Alexander Heen, from Hordaland. When asked by news, he confirms that he will vote for both of the two proposals that the Center Party in government has opposed. – For me, it is important to get the tribunals removed. The way I assess the practice that has been, where almost everyone has agreed, this is an unnecessary and burdensome rounding buoy. There is also no reason to believe that the number of abortions will increase significantly if we consider the experiences of other countries. VOTE FOR: Alexander Øren Heen breaks the party line and votes for extending the abortion law. Photo: Truls Sylvarnes SP representative Siv Mossleth from Nordland has come to the same conclusion and says she will vote for expansion. – Although I personally do not want anyone to have an abortion, I believe that it is the individual woman who must make a possibly difficult choice based on her own life situation, not an abortion board, she says. Åslaug Sem Jacobsen from Telemark also goes to great lengths to signal that she will vote for the change in the law. – We have not dealt with the case in the group yet and are awaiting a conclusion. But my starting point has always been the greatest possible freedom for women to decide on their own bodies, she says to news. On the opposite side of the debate in Sp stands Heidi Greni. She will follow the party line and vote against. – I support the current abortion law and will clearly vote against extending it to week 18. A reduction in the number of fetuses after week 12 should be dealt with by a tribunal, she says. This is the proposal for changes to the Abortion Act New purpose clause. The Ministry of Health and Welfare proposes that the law should have a twofold purpose. The law must ensure that consideration is given both to the rights of the pregnant woman and to society’s need to protect the unborn life. Women’s right to self-determined abortion is extended from week 12 to week 18. Fetal reduction is defined as abortion and the pregnant woman must have the right to decide for herself whether the number of fetuses should be reduced to week 18, within the limit of what is medically justifiable. Women have a statutory right to guidance and information, whether they choose to terminate or complete the pregnancy. Women who decide to have an abortion are given the statutory right to follow-up interviews afterwards. The current system of abortion boards is being reformed. Today’s tribunals will be abolished and new ones will be established to assess applications after the 18th week of pregnancy. The new committees will be headed by a doctor, have an additional member with health or social work expertise and one member with legal expertise. The majority of the tribunals must be women. Out of consideration for the prohibition against discrimination against persons with reduced functional capacity, medical conditions of the fetus shall not give a direct opportunity to give permission for an abortion. It should not be the condition in itself, but what the condition will mean for the pregnancy, the birth, the upbringing and the care of the child that can provide grounds for an abortion after the 18th week of pregnancy. The right of health personnel to reserve against abortion for reasons of conscience is passed on and enshrined in law. Source: Government Breakaways in the FRP As the Center Party exempts the group when the matter comes up for consideration in the Storting, the representatives do not have to follow the party line, but can vote according to their own convictions. Exemption is unusual, but several parties allow this as a matter of conscience. The Progress Party also plans to follow the same procedure. The party is against the changes, but allows its representatives to vote freely. Earlier this year, five of them stated that they want to abolish the tribunals and support an extension of abortion to 18 weeks. – I am happy that I am allowed to take part in this. For me, it’s about being on the right side of history, said Roy Steffensen to news in April. Bengt Rune Strifeldt, Himanshu Gulati, Sivert Bjørnstad and Terje Halleland are on the same line. Halleland now repeats to news that he will vote for the government’s proposal. – I will do that, he says. Strifeldt says the same, although he makes a small reservation: – I have doubted that I will probably vote to extend self-determined abortion from week 12 to week 18, he says. Majority for changes A preliminary count among the 169 representatives thus shows that there is a majority in favor of extending the abortion law. As is well known, the limit for a majority is 85 mandates. The Labor Party (48), SV (13), Red (8), Venstre (8) and MDG (3) support the proposal. As far as news is aware, no representatives in these parties have signaled that they want to break away from the party line. The four parties have a total of 80 representatives. With five FRP members on board, the number is 85. In addition, several representatives from the Center Party are now announcing that they will vote for an extension of the abortion law. This increases the yes majority even further. However, there is still reason to take a certain reservation. Firstly, individual representatives can change their minds, although this is unlikely. The proposal may also be changed during the parliamentary proceedings, although nothing so far indicates that this will happen. Another obstacle on the way to a majority is illness or absence among defectors in No parties. Then deputy representatives with a different view can come in, which in theory can help sway the majority. Conservative doubts Conservative representatives have so far been low on the ground when the party’s position on the abortion issue has been the topic. As Conservative sources could tell news this spring, several Conservative representatives will ask to be allowed to vote freely when the new abortion law is to be adopted. But it has not yet been confirmed that the Conservative Party will actually release its politicians when the case is to be heard. Sandra Bruflot, who leads the Conservative Party’s work on the abortion issue in the health committee at the Storting, points out that the party will have internal processes this autumn. – We will thoroughly familiarize ourselves with the entire new proposal for a new law. Then we have to take the debate inside Høyre’s group, Bruflot told news before the weekend. – When will we find out if the Conservative Party acquits its representatives in this case? – It is up to someone other than me. It will be part of the whole debate we will have, I think. KrF is against changes to the abortion law, while Patientfokus’ sole representative Irene Ojala says she has not yet made up her mind. – We have voters who are against abortion, others are for the current abortion law and others are for abortion up to week 22. This is an important issue that is being worked on carefully. In the end, for me it is a matter of conscience, says Ojala. Long wait The Støre government has long announced that there would be a proposal for a new abortion law, but it has taken time. It was only last Friday that Health and Care Minister Jan Christian Vestre (Ap) presented the case. – Today’s abortion law has played an important role for women across the country for many decades. My goal is that the new abortion law will also stand for a long time to come, he said. But the two governing parties therefore differ on the issue. The Center Party disagreed and Minister for Children and Families Kjersti Toppe put it this way: – We think the current law is a good compromise. There are two opposing values: The pregnant woman’s right to decide for herself, versus the child’s legal protection. Then we have to find a balance and set a limit somewhere. We think week 12 will do, she told news. Published 27.08.2024, at 15.18 Updated 27.08.2024, at 15.20
ttn-69
Spatial dispute over abortion – majority in the Storting for 18 weeks – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
