Liechtenstein's parliament backs abortion initiative

Liechtenstein's parliament voted by the narrowest possible margin Wednesday to accept a citizens' initiative to legalise abortion in the Alpine microstate.

However, the country's regent Hereditary Prince Alois, who has the power to veto, has made clear his opposition to the initiative.

Abortion is currently illegal in Liechtenstein except for specific circumstances, such as when the mother's life is at risk or if the pregnancy resulted from rape.

Anyone carrying out an abortion outside the designated exceptions faces up to three years in prison. A woman undergoing the procedure could be jailed for up to a year.

The initiative was spearheaded by 28-year-old Tatjana As'Ad, from the small left-wing Free List party. It calls for the legalisation of abortion during the first three months of pregnancy.

The committee behind the initiative submitted 4,970 signatures -- nearly five times the legally-required 1,000 minimum for such an initiative.

The tiny, German-speaking principality on the River Rhine, wedged between Switzerland and Austria, has a population of just 41,000, of whom around 35 percent are permanent foreign residents.

Roman Catholicism is the state religion in Liechtenstein.

The initiative was reviewed Wednesday by the 25-seat Landtag parliament in the capital Vaduz, and voted on after a lengthy debate.

"Approved by 13 votes out of 25 members present. The Landtag has therefore approved the citizens' initiative," said the speaker Manfred Kaufmann, announcing the result.

Had the Landtag rejected the initiative, the measure would have been put to a referendum.

But having won the parliamentary vote, a Free List lawmaker then requested putting the initiative to a referendum anyway -- to the disbelief of some in the chamber.

"We already know... our hereditary prince will not give his assent to this law. He has already announced this to us," said lawmaker Thomas Rehak of the right-wing Democrats for Liechtenstein party, which voted against the initiative.

"So, if we push this matter further with the public now, we are driving a wedge between the prince and the people," he said.

The motion for a referendum was rejected, by 13 votes to 12.

In the last public vote on legalising abortion in 2011, 52 percent of voters rejected it. At the time, Liechtenstein's government and parliament were both opposed to the measure.

In any case, Hereditary Prince Alois made clear he would have vetoed the move on that occasion.

And the eldest son of the sovereign Prince Hans Adam II has again indicated his opposition to the new initiative.

rjm