Jump to content

2021 San Marino abortion referendum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by RandomCanadian (talk | contribs) at 02:15, 27 September 2021 (RandomCanadian moved page 2021 Sammarinese abortion referendum to 2021 San Marino abortion referendum over redirect: per the discussion at ITNC; WP:COMMONNAME probably overrides whatever that guideline may be). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

2021 San Marino abortion referendum
26 September 2021
Do you want women to be allowed to voluntarily terminate pregnancy until the twelfth week of gestation, and also thereafter if there is danger to the life of the woman or if there are abnormalities and malformations of the fetus that pose a serious risk to the physical or psychological health of the woman?
Italian: Volete che sia consentito alla donna di interrompere volontariamente la gravidanza entro la dodicesima settimana di gestazione, e anche successivamente se vi sia pericolo per la vita della donna o se vi siano anomalie e malformazioni del feto che comportino grave rischio per la salute fisica o psicologica della donna?
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Yes 11,119 77.30%
No 3,265 22.70%
Valid votes 14,384 98.80%
Invalid or blank votes 174 1.20%
Total votes 14,558 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 35,411 41.11%

A referendum on the legality of abortion was held in San Marino on 26 September 2021.[1] The result was an overwhelming vote in favour of legalisation.[2][3]

Background

See also: Abortion in San Marino

Abortion was banned under any circumstance in Sammarinese law (Articles 153 and 154 of the Criminal Code), making it one of four European countries, along with Malta, Andorra and the Vatican City where similar laws were in place.[4] Abortions in cases of endangering the life of the mother were de facto allowed out of medical necessity, however, despite this exception not being explicitly mentioned in the legislation. Punishment for violation of the law was a sentence of three to five years in prison.[5]

The referendum question was published on 15 March 2021[6] after the RETE Movement and the Women's Union of San Marino[7][8] collected enough signatures (equivalent to 3% of registered voters) under the law permitting referendums passed in 1994.[9] Before the referendum, the last attempt to legalise abortion in some form was in 1974, which was rejected.[10][11][12]

Results

The referendum legalised abortion for women up until the twelfth week of pregnancy, as well as if there are "abnormalities and malformations of the fetus that pose a serious risk to the physical or psychological health of the woman" (with no time limit),[13][14] thus overturning a law dating from 1865.[3]

Mostly symbolic, as those seeking abortions could go to neighbouring Italy (where abortion is legal since 1978), the referendum passed despite being strongly opposed by the Catholic church, with the Bishop of San Marino, Andrea Turazzi, expressing that the church was "decidedly against" the proposal.[3] Turnout was 41.1%, slightly lower than the 2019 referendum which amended electoral and anti-discrimination laws.[15]

With the passage of the referendum, the San Marino parliament is required to pass laws to enact its results. San Marino was one of the last European states (along with Andorra and Malta, where it remains illegal) in which abortion was criminalised, and thus joined other European Catholic countries like Ireland (legalised after a 2018 referendum) in allowing the procedure.[3]

References

  1. ^ "San Marino. Referendum sull'aborto: si vota il 26 settembre". Libertas (in Italian). Retrieved 1 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "Referendum: vince il Si con il 77%, No al 22%". San Marino Rtv (in Italian). 26 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Winfield, Nicole; Fedeli, Francesco (26 September 2021). "San Marino voters overwhelmingly back legal abortion". Washington Post. Associated Press. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Referendum: Fällt das absolute Abtreibungsverbot in San Marino?". Euronews (in German). 13 July 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Tiny San Marino holds abortion referendum". France24. 26 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  6. ^ "QUESITO – Segreteria di Stato per gli Affari Interni – Sito Elezioni". Segreteria di Stato per gli Affari Interni. 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ "Enclave. À Saint-Marin, les femmes décrochent un référendum pour enfin légaliser l'avortement". Courrier international. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link).
  8. ^ "Referendum aborto: si vota il 26 settembre". San Marino RTV (in Italian). 13 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021..
  9. ^ San Marino, national Popular or citizens initiative [PCI] - Referendum propositivo
  10. ^ "World Population Policy - United Nations Population Division". United Nations. Retrieved 18 July 2021..
  11. ^ European Liberties Platform (12 September 2019). "Andorre, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Saint-Marin : les micro-États parmi les plus grands violateurs des droits humains en Europe". Liberties.eu. Retrieved 18 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ "Enclave. À Saint-Marin, les femmes décrochent un référendum pour enfin légaliser l'avortement". Courrier international. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link).
  13. ^ "DECRETO REGGENZIALE 13 luglio 2021 n.129" (PDF). San Marino TV (in Italian). Retrieved 18 July 2021..
  14. ^ "Aborto, si vota al referendum il 26 settembre". Il Resto del Carlino (in Italian). 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link).
  15. ^ "Affluenza Referendum: alla chiusura dei seggi 14.558 votanti, pari al 41%". San Marino Rtv (in Italian). 26 September 2021.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2021_San_Marino_abortion_referendum&oldid=1046708452"