Liechtenstein prince’s ‘surreal’ abortion veto dismays campaigners
Alois uses the first veto of his reign to quash parliament-approved bill backed by a national petition
TL;DR
- Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein vetoed a bill to liberalize abortion laws, marking the first time he has used this power.
- The bill, approved by parliament after a citizens' initiative gained over 4,970 signatures, aimed to decriminalize abortion up to 12 weeks.
- Campaigners are disappointed, stating the veto means abortions will continue abroad and that a single individual is overriding democratic decisions.
- Abortions are currently only allowed in limited circumstances in Liechtenstein, with women permitted to travel abroad since 2015.
- Prince Alois cited the need for adequate protection of unborn life as his reason for vetoing the bill.
- He expressed openness to lifting the ban on sharing information about abortion access abroad.