Liechtenstein's prince vetoes abortion bill as campaigners voice frustration
Liechtenstein's Hereditary Prince Alois has vetoed a bill that would have legalised abortion. The veto, issued on Tuesday, blocked a proposal brought through a citizens' initiative and passed by the micro-state's parliament.
The bill proposed legalising abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. In the small Alpine principality, performing an abortion is currently illegal, with only limited exceptions.
Under the current rules, abortion is permitted only if the pregnancy presents a severe risk to the pregnant woman's health or if it is the result of a sexual assault. Women seeking an abortion usually travel to clinics in neighbouring Austria or Switzerland, which campaigners say adds uncertainty and an unnecessary financial hurdle to the process.
The bill was introduced by the Fristenlösung citizens' initiative, which collected almost 5,000 signatures — about a quarter of the state's registered voters. It proposed decriminalising abortion up to 12 weeks' gestation and lifting a ban on providing information about abortion.
A statement from the princely house said the bill 'is not suitable for adequately protecting unborn life as a central legal interest.' Alois had already indicated in June that he would veto the proposal on these grounds.
Tatjana As'Ad, a campaigner for the initiative and a co-managing director of the Free List, Liechtenstein's progressive opposition party, said: 'We're disappointed, but not really surprised. It was clear his decision was fixed in June and that there was no way we would change it.'
As'Ad said campaigners met Alois on Tuesday morning, but there was no indication he would announce his veto shortly afterwards. She said: 'We are frustrated because it feels like everything we did since June was decorative.'
Liechtenstein, a small Alpine principality of about 40,000 people, has an atypical political system that combines referendum-led direct democracy with a monarchy in which the reigning prince retains extensive executive powers. Alois's absolute veto right was itself confirmed by a 2012 referendum. He used it for the first time to block the abortion bill.
In As'Ad's words, 'the promise of dualism' between democracy and the monarchy, in which Liechtensteiners place their trust, 'has got some cracks.'
She added that parliament's decision to vote the bill through and send it directly to Alois for assent, instead of calling a referendum, 'spared' the hereditary prince a 'conflict' with his people.
As the campaign's biggest win, As'Ad cited a clarification from Liechtenstein's government that the ban on providing 'information' about abortion was in effect a ban on 'advertising' the practice.
She said: 'In the end, everything is going to be the same. Women affected are still here. There is a majority in favour and it's still here. Abortions are still going to happen, and [Alois] just decided where they would be going to happen.' Liechtenstein's princely house did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
