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2007 Portuguese abortion referendum

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An abortion referendum took place in Portugal on 11 February 2007, to decide whether to legalise abortion up to ten weeks. The referendum was the fulfillment of an election pledge by the governing Socialist Party of Prime Minister José Sócrates.[1]

2007 Portuguese abortion referendum
11 February 2007
Are you in agreement with the decriminalization of the voluntary interruption of pregnancy, if carried out, by the woman's choice, in the first ten weeks in a legally authorized health institution?
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Yes 2,231,529 59.25%
No 1,534,669 40.75%
Valid votes 3,766,198 98.07%
Invalid or blank votes 73,978 1.93%
Total votes 3,840,176 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 8,814,016 43.57%
Results

Official results of the referendum showed that 59.24 percent of the Portuguese approved the proposal put on ballot, while 40.76 percent rejected it. However, only 43.61 percent of the registered voters turned out to vote. Since voter turnout was below 50 percent, according to the Portuguese Constitution, these results are not legally binding, and parliament can legally decide to disregard them. Prime Minister Sócrates nevertheless confirmed that he would expand the circumstances under which abortion was allowed, since a majority of voters had been in favour.[1]

The law was ratified by President Aníbal Cavaco Silva on 10 April 2007.[2]

Background

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In 1998, the legalization of abortion had also been put to a referendum. However, a small majority voted NO, 51 to 49 percent, and abortion legalization was not implemented.

Question

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The question in the referendum was:

"Are you in agreement with the decriminalization of the voluntary interruption of pregnancy, if carried out, by the woman's choice, in the first ten weeks in a legally authorized health institution?"[3]

"Concorda com a despenalização da interrupção voluntária da gravidez, se realizada, por opção da mulher, nas 10 primeiras semanas, em estabelecimento de saúde legalmente autorizado?"[4]

Under the previous law, abortions were allowed up 12 weeks if the mother's life or mental or physical health is at risk, up to 16 weeks in cases of rape and up to 24 weeks if the child may be born with an incurable disease or deformity. The new law, approved on 9 March 2007, allows abortions on request up to the tenth week.[5]

Political positions

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The major parties in Portugal listed with their political positioning and their official answer to the referendum question:

Campaign period

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Yes poster during the campaign.

Choices slogans

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Choice Original slogan English translation Refs
Yes « O voto responsável, Sim. »
« Vota para acabar com a injustiça da lei. » 		"Yes, the responsible vote"
"Vote to end the injustice of the law." 		[6][7]
No « Não, Obrigada. »
« Escolhe a vida. » 		"No, Thank you"
"Choose Life." 		[8]

Opinion polling

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A December 2006 Aximage/Correio da Manhã poll had found that 61 percent of Portugal's electorate supported the proposal, 26 percent did not, and 12 percent were "not sure".[9] An earlier survey from October 2006 had yielded similar results.[10] However, a poll from mid-January 2007 had seen support drop to 38 to 28 percent in favour.[11]

  Exit poll

Last day polling Poll source Sample size Direct Intention of Vote Valid Vote
Yes No Undecided Lead Yes No Lead
11 Feb Referendum results 43.6% — — — — 59.3 40.7 18.6
11 Feb Universidade Católica — — — — 57.0–61.0 39.0–43.0 18.0
11 Feb Eurosondagem — — — — 58.0–61.8 38.2–42.0 19.8
11 Feb INTERCAMPUS — — — — 57.6–62.6 37.4–42.4 20.2
7 Feb Aximage 801 52.6 41.5 5.9 11.1 56.0 44.0 12.0
5 Feb Eurosondagem 2,059 46.5 41.0 12.5 6.2 53.1 46.9 5.5
5 Feb TNS Eurotest 1,000 52.8 37.1 10.1 15.7 59.0 41.0 18.0
4 Feb Universidade Católica 3,806 49.0 34.0 17.0 15.0 58.0 42.0 16.0
2 Feb Aximage 601 51.3 43.7 5.0 7.6 54.0 46.0 8.0
24 Jan IPOM 697 45.6 37.2 17.2 8.4 55.0 45.0 10.0
22 Jan Universidade Católica 1,257 48.0 35.0 17.0 13.0 59.0 41.0 18.0
19 Jan Marktest 821 54.0 33.4 12.6 20.6 61.8 38.2 23.6
18 Jan Aximage 500 55.6 29.8 14.6 25.8 65.0 35.0 30.0
16 Jan Eurosondagem 2,569 43.0 36.0 22.0 7.0 52.5 47.5 5.0
9 Jan Aximage 550 57.0 34.8 8.1 22.2 62.0 38.0 24.0
9 Jan INTERCAMPUS 1,525 60.0 29.0 11.0 31.0 67.0 33.0 34.0
2007
20 Dec Aximage 502 61.0 26.7 12.3 34.3 70.0 30.0 40.0
7 Dec Aximage 550 64.1 27.3 8.6 36.8 70.0 30.0 40.0
15 Nov Marktest 808 61.2 30.0 8.8 31.2 67.1 32.9 34.2
24 Oct INTERCAMPUS 514 66.9 27.6 5.4 39.3 71.0 29.0 42.0
21 Oct Marktest 809 63.0 27.0 10.0 36.0 70.0 30.0 40.0
17 Oct Eurosondagem 1,033 46.0 39.0 16.0 7.0 51.7 48.3 3.4
15 Oct Universidade Católica 1,282 63.0 25.0 12.0 38.0 72.0 28.0 44.0
4 Oct Aximage 550 47.9 39.9 12.2 8.0 55.0 45.0 10.0
2006

Results

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Results of the referendum by district (Islands shown).
Portuguese abortion referendum, 2007
Choice Votes %
  Yes 2,231,529 59.25
No 1,534,669 40.75
Valid votes 3,766,198 98.07
Invalid or blank votes 73,978 1.93
Total votes 3,840,176 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 8,814,016 43.57
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições
Referendum results (excluding invalid votes)
Yes
2,231,529 (59.3%) 		No
1,534,669 (40.7%)
▲
50%

Results by district

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Results of the referendum in the Portuguese municipalities (Islands not shown).
District Yes No Turnout
Votes % Votes %
  Aveiro 110,644 44.62% 137,312 55.38% 42.29%
  Azores 17,022 30.66% 38,489 69.34% 29.54%
  Beja 45,028 83.90% 8,641 16.10% 39.82%
  Braga 132,507 41.35% 187,911 58.65% 46.20%
  Bragança 20,445 40.75% 29,722 59.25% 34.07%
  Castelo Branco 45,976 61.65% 28,601 38.35% 40.15%
  Coimbra 92,828 62.89% 54,769 37.11% 40.04%
  Évora 48,274 78.38% 13,312 21.62% 43.00%
  Faro 89,132 73.92% 31,440 26.08% 38.78%
  Guarda 27,725 46.53% 31,865 53.47% 38.27%
  Leiria 97,292 58.30% 69,585 41.70% 43.76%
  Lisbon 607,419 71.47% 242,467 28.53% 48.67%
  Madeira 30,209 34.60% 57,091 65.40% 38.89%
  Portalegre 30,507 74.45% 10,478 25.55% 38.92%
  Porto 350,868 54.36% 294,599 45.64% 44.86%
  Santarém 109,051 65.11% 58,434 34.89% 44.16%
  Setúbal 259,684 81.99% 57,032 18.01% 48.77%
  Viana do Castelo 37,096 40.71% 54,023 59.29% 39.54%
  Vila Real 28,871 38.09% 46,921 61.91% 34.28%
  Viseu 50,931 38.32% 81,977 61.68% 37.71%
Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Portugal will legalise abortion." (12 February 2007). BBC News. Retrieved 12 February 2007.
  2. ^ "Portugal ratifies law allowing abortions". The Guardian. 10 April 2007. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Portugal Plans Abortion Referendum[permanent dead link‍]." (11 December 2006). TotalCatholic.com. Retrieved 4 January 2006.
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ "Portuguese MPs vote for abortion." (9 March 2007). BBC News. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
  6. ^ "Termina hoje campanha para o referendo ao aborto". TVI (in Portuguese). 9 February 2007. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  7. ^ "IVG 10 depois do referendo: o que mudou e o que falta fazer". Plataforma Mulheres (in Portuguese). Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Campanha para o referendo sobre o aborto começa hoje". Público (in Portuguese). 30 January 2007. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Portuguese Would Decriminalize Abortion Archived 10 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine." (9 January 2007). Angus Reid Global Monitor. Retrieved 10 January 2006.
  10. ^ "Portuguese Would Vote to Legalize Abortion[permanent dead link‍]." ( 2 November 2006). Angus Reid Global Monitor. Retrieved 11 January 2006.
  11. ^ "Support Plummets for Portugal's Abortion Change." (29 January 2007). Angus Reid Global Monitor. Retrieved 12 February 2007.
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