Too few signatures: abortion initiatives have failed

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The collection deadline for two abortion initiatives ends today, Wednesday. Now it is clear: Both have failed. Although more than 160,000 signatures were collected in total, neither reached the required 100,000 certified signatures.

“It’s a great pity that it just wasn’t enough,” Junge SVP chairman David Trachsel (28) told Blick. “On the one hand, we see the huge number of signatures and the enormous commitment of everyone involved, on the other hand, we probably overtook ourselves with two initiatives at the same time.”

It was almost “Sleep About It Once”.

The “Sleep on it for once” initiative wanted doctors to “give at least one day to think about it” before terminating the pregnancy. Excluded are pregnancies that put the pregnant woman in acute, unavoidable danger. It was relatively just not enough for this initiative.

The ‘Save Viable Babies’ initiative, on the other hand, wanted to limit late abortions more if the child could survive outside the womb with medical help. Today, these are allowed when the mother’s life is in danger.

A disability in the unborn child can also be a reason for a late termination, because this is sometimes detected late. With the initiative, the latter would no longer have been possible.

In recent months it has become clear that things are going to get tight. Because the theme that the two initiatives address also evokes “certain defensive reflexes”, as Trachsel discovered while collecting signatures. Because: “Many want nothing to do with the subject,” he previously told Blick.

It takes a lot of effort, said the SVP politician at the time. A feat that has now failed.

The other side calls for relaxation

The abortion issue remains a politically hot topic. Because not only opponents of abortion are mobilizing, but the opposing party is also not standing still.

However, they do not want to tighten the time limits that have been in force since 2002, but to relax them in practice. Several national councilors submitted proposals on this during the summer session. FDP politician Susanne Vincenz-Stauffacher (56, SG) and SP representative Min Li Marti (49, ZH) ask the Bundesrat to evaluate the current arrangement. The Bundesrat should show the implementation in the cantons or a comparison with other European countries.

Green Councilor Léonore Porchet (33, VD) and GLP National Councilor Melanie Mettler (45, BE) in turn demand a report from the Federal Council on how access to abortion and related care work in practice in Switzerland. But also how access to abortion can be improved.

For now, the status quo remains

For the time being, however, the status quo remains, because easing the restrictions is also having a hard time politically. problem.

Source:Blick