NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      LISBON (CWNews.com) - A planned vote to legalize abortion in Portugal failed on Sunday because most of this Catholic country's voters stayed away from the polls in record numbers.

      Just 32 percent of registered voters turned out, and of those who voted 51 percent favored keeping abortion illegal. The National Electoral Commission said the turnout was the lowest in any national referendum since 1974. Because of the low response, the results of the referendum are not legally binding on parliament.

      Portugese law currently allows abortion only for rape or specific medical reasons until the 12th week of pregnancy, but the parliament passed a law in February legalizing the procedure on demand. That law was blocked when critics forced a public referendum to either ratify or overturn the legislation. Members of parliament must now decide whether to enact the new law without the ratification of a referendum.