Northern Ireland votes to keep strong pro-life laws
Northern Ireland’s Legislative Assembly voted in the early hours of Thursday morning to maintain the country’s strong pro-life laws, despite intense pressure from Amnesty International, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC), and other pro-abortion groups.
By a vote of 59-40, the Members of the Legislative Assembly defeated Amendment 61, a proposal that would have allowed abortion when a preborn child is diagnosed with a fatal condition. In another 64-30 tally, lawmakers also voted to maintain Northern Ireland’s ban on abortion in cases of rape or incest.
The Abortion Act of 1967 decriminalizing abortion in the U.K. did not extend to Northern Ireland. The current law in Northern Ireland, which has a population of just under 2 million, allows for abortion only when two doctors agree carrying the baby to term puts the mother’s life at serious risk or is likely to cause her long-term...