Mon 02 Feb 2007Portugal set to legislate as abortion poll
failsPortugal:Portuguese prime minister José
Sócrates said yesterday he would ask parliament to vote to
lift a ban on abortion despite a referendum on the issue looking
likely to fail due to low voter turnout."The law will now be discussed and approved in parliament," Mr
Sócrates said in a televised speech. "Our interest is to fight
clandestine abortion and we have to produce a law that respects the
result of the referendum. The people spoke with a clear voice." Mr
Sócrates's socialists have a majority in parliament.