Historic Move: Spanish Government Approves Plan to Enshrine Abortion Rights in the Constitution

The Spanish government has approved a proposal to enshrine the right to abortion in the country's Constitution. The Minister for Equality, Ana Redondo, stated that the text will guarantee a woman's right to the "voluntary termination of pregnancy under conditions of real and effective equality, with all necessary benefits and services."

According to Redondo, the reform is essential because access to the procedure remains uneven across different autonomous communities. "First-class women and second-class women are depending on where they live," she declared.

The Minister explained that the reform is necessary for three primary reasons. Firstly, as a response to the actions of the far-right, which she claims have "endangered women's rights worldwide." Secondly, because the vast majority of Spaniards support reproductive choice. "According to recent polls, around 70% of society agrees with the right to abortion," she added. Thirdly, she called for "consistency" with the legal frameworks of other developed nations in the region, such as France and Luxembourg.

Amending the Constitution will require a three-fifths majority in both the Congress and the Senate. The People's Party (PP) has already announced it will not support the initiative, but the government intends to proceed with negotiations. Should the constitutional reform fail, the government plans to pursue expanded access at the regional level, targeting communities like Madrid and Andalusia, where the service is currently almost unavailable in state-run medical centres.

In a parallel announcement, the government pledged €180 million to strengthen the state programme for combating gender-based violence.