GSD will repeal abortion law if elected

The GSD has today announced the party will repeal the abortion law if elected into government.

GSD Leader Keith Azopardi said the Government has “misrepresented” the legislation that is subject to a referendum next March.

“We are making clear that if we are elected to Government at the next election we will repeal the GSLP/Liberals law and replace it with a law that protects the rights of the unborn subject to tightly defined exceptional circumstances,” said GSD Leader Keith Azopardi.

“We seek a mandate for that position at the next election.”

Mr Azopardi added if elected the GSD would repeal the law and would not hold a referendum.

The party would also legislate to “protect the right of the unborn child save only in very limited circumstances namely in cases of rape, incest, fatal foetal abnormality or risk of life to the mother”.

“The latter is already provided for as a defence in the current law,” Mr Azopardi said.

“In drafting such a proposed law the GSD will take medico-legal specialist advice to ensure that any legislation on exceptions is very carefully drafted.”

Mr Azopardi stressed that all GSD MPs voted against the Act which would “effectively permit abortion on demand in Gibraltar”.

“During the course of the last year the Government has systematically misrepresented what is constitutionally necessary and talked very little about the main effect of the legislation they propose,” Mr Azopardi said.

“They have repeatedly suggested that the law they tabled needed to be introduced because of constitutional requirements. That is simply not so."

“It is clear that it is not constitutionally necessary to have a law that permits abortion on demand. There is a case for saying it is constitutionally necessary to legislate for narrow exceptions of rape, incest and fatal foetal abnormality only. That is not what the GSLP’s abortion law will do.”

Mr Azopardi said it is statistically the case that in the UK over 99% of cases of abortion do not involve grounds of rape, incest or fatal foetal abnormality.

“The GSLP/Liberals law of abortion on demand is the same as the UK law except with a lower threshold of 12 weeks,” Mr Azopardi said.

“During the last 18 months the GSD has made clear that no political party had a current mandate on this important social issue and that a law should not be introduced without first seeking a mandate.”