Socialists promise better access to abortion pill

28 January 2008

MADRID – In an effort to end a dramatic increase in abortions among teenage girls, Spain’s governing Socialist Party is proposing making the morning after pill available for free at health centres and hospitals across the country.

The move, which is likely to draw criticism from conservatives and Catholics, would be carried out if the party is re-elected in the 9 March general elections, Socialist representatives said Friday.

"We want any girl to be able to get the pill […] 24 hours a day, 365 days a year," a Socialist spokesman said.

At present, obtaining the pill requires a doctor’s prescription and costs EUR 20, something that stops many teenagers from taking it. The situation has contributed to a sharp increase in abortions among teenagers, which reached around 14,000 last year.

Subject: Spanish news