It’s a historic turning point: Ireland, an ultra-conservative country, has just put the abortion issue to the vote, and obtained a favorable outcome. Over 66% of the voting population voted in favor of abortion, writing a whole new page in Irish history.
Green Erin, deeply Catholic, was one of the most conservative countries when it came to abortion. His restrictive policy led Irish women to leave the country in order to have an abortion in a foreign country, provoking indignation among abortion advocates. Worse still, the anti-IVG law in force until then had even led to the deaths of young pregnant women, like that of Savita Halappanavar in 2012. This young woman, who was pregnant at the time, had asked her doctors for an abortion, as her pregnancy was causing her serious health problems. The doctors refused, resulting in the young woman’s own death. The affair scandalized public opinion in Ireland and around the world.
The referendum vote heralds a real turning point in Irish attitudes.
The Irish Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar, declared that the referendum was “.the culmination of a quiet revolution. The people have made it clear that they want a modern constitution for a modern country, and that they trust and respect women to make the right decisions about their own health.“.
Abortion will therefore be permitted in Ireland during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, or up to 24 weeks if there is a risk to the health of the mother or baby. The referendum will officially come into action from the end of 2018.
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