Popular Party Rejects Constitutional Amendment on Abortion Rights, Citing Existing Legislation

The Popular Party (PP) announced on Friday its position regarding the current abortion law in Spain, asserting that the existing regulations are adequate and dismissing any need to elevate abortion rights to constitutional status. The party indicated that they would not support the proposed reform by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who aims to institutionalize abortion as a fundamental right within the Constitution. In a communication distributed to various media outlets, PP representatives emphasized that cooperation from their party is crucial for any constitutional reform. They conveyed that Sánchez should reconsider his expectations for the Popular Party's support, particularly in light of the government's failure to present the state general budgets for the third consecutive year. According to the PP, the right to opt for an abortion is already permitted in Spain, with the legislation reinforced by a definitive ruling from the Constitutional Court. Following Sánchez's announcement to bring forth a constitutional amendment ensuring voluntary pregnancy termination, PP sources declared that the matter should be considered closed. The announcement coincides with the recent controversy surrounding the Madrid City Council, led by popular mayor José Luis Martínez Almeida, who backed a Vox initiative aimed at informing women about supposed post-abortion trauma— a concept experts have widely discredited. Almeida later acknowledged the lack of scientific basis for such claims. The PP contends that Sánchez’s move to highlight the abortion issue is merely an attempt to divert attention from pressing matters, including corruption allegations involving his inner circle. The party points to the forthcoming trials linked to his wife, his brother, and the Attorney General, along with the imprisonment of a key PSOE figure, as reasons for Sánchez seeking distraction with what they characterize as an unnecessary confrontation over abortion. In an interview on RNE, the PP's Deputy Secretary of Finance, Juan Bravo, described Sánchez's focus on abortion as a tactic to engender division while masking deeper corruption issues. "Abortion is not a right; it is legally regulated as is, and attempting to extend beyond that only aims to create division among the populace," Bravo reiterated, underscoring the party's stance that the current law is sufficient for governing the issue of abortion in Spain. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2