General
PRO Attempts to Remove Abortion from Criminal Code Again
PRO MP Lisa Vliegenthart is introducing a legislative proposal on International Day of Safe Abortion to remove abortion from the Dutch Criminal Code, arguing it should be classified as healthcare. The bill targets Article 296, which currently criminalizes abortion outside specific clinics or hospitals. This initiative builds on previous efforts by former MP Corinne Ellemeet and coincides with protests by Dolle Mina activists in The Hague. While PRO seeks full decriminalization, other parties like the SGP are using abortion restrictions as leverage in budget negotiations. Previous debates in May 2023 saw mixed support, with D66, GroenLinks, and PvdA backing removal while VVD, CDA, CU, and SGP opposed it.
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