Abortion law reform will remove parental consent requirement for 16 to 18-year-olds

The Spanish government's abortion law reform will remove the legal requirement for 16 to 18-year-olds to seek parental consent in order to have an abortion.

Spain's equality minister, Irene Montero, told Congress's Equality Commission on Wednesday that there must be a guarantee that pregnant 16 to 18-year-olds could access abortion "independently" and, therefore, the parental consent requirement – previously brought in by the conservative People's Party – would be axed.

"They are responsible for making decisions about their own bodies," the minister said, "just as they are responsible for working or for having sexual relationships."

Right to abortion

Montero – from the left-wing Podemos party, the junior partner in Spain's governing coalition – also outlined further significant changes to abortion law. The obligatory three-day period of reflection before having an abortion, currently a legal requirement, will be abolished.

Women will be able to request a termination "without any obstacles" Montero said. She also gave a guarantee that all public hospitals will have medical staff who perform abortions.

"Conscientious objection must be compatible with the right to abortion," Montero said. She described the new law as a "paradigm shift" in its view of women's health, not focused on pregnancy and incorporating the "enjoyment" of sexuality and respect for all sexual preferences.

Termination of pregnancy is legal upon request in Catalonia and Spain up to 14 weeks, and up to 22 weeks when there is a serious risk to the life or health of the mother or fetus. Beyond 22 weeks, abortions are allowed only in the case of fatal fetal abnormalities.

Catalonia's neighbor Andorra has some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe, forcing many women to travel abroad in order to have an abortion.