Justice
Pro Party Wants to Remove Abortion from Criminal Law, But What Is Currently Criminalized?
The Pro party is introducing a bill to remove abortion from the Dutch criminal code, arguing it should be treated as healthcare under care legislation rather than penal law. Currently, performing an abortion is technically a criminal offense under Article 296, though exceptions exist for licensed medical professionals following strict safety rules established in 1984. Martin Buijsen, a health law professor, states that while the law rarely affects medical practice, its presence in the criminal code may stigmatize patients. Marloes van Noorloos, a criminal law professor, argues that keeping abortion in criminal law sends a misleading signal, whereas removing it would frame it as a right. The change aims to reflect modern medical realities, such as the availability of the abortion pill since 2025 and the early timing of most procedures.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's