Battle lines drawn in Spain’s impending fight over abortion law

The Madrid government is accused of ‘mixing political ideology with a moral issue’, reports Graham Keeley

Anti-abortion supporters, dressed as Death and carrying baby dolls covered in fake blood, protest outside the Constitutional Court in Madrid (Reuters)

An ideological war over abortion is brewing in Spain after the left-wing government was poised to liberalise existing legislation prompting a backlash from a rising pro-life movement.

The draft law, which is expected to reach the Spanish parliament before the end of the year, would criminalise harassment of women outside private abortion clinics, in which offenders would be jailed for up to a year or face community service.

The coalition government, which is composed of the Socialists and the far-left United We Can party, also wants to create a register of doctors who, for reasons of conscience, object to performing terminations.