ABORTION IN THE NEW EUROPE A Comparative Handbook

EDITED BY Bill Rolston & Anna Eggert

GREENWOOD PRESS Westport, Connecticut • London CONTENTS

Tables and Figures xiii

Introduction: in Europe, Present and Future xvii Bill Rolston and Anna Eggert Abortion Rights: Optimism or Pessimism? xvii Published Sources xviii Authors' Blueprint xix Trends in Abortion in Europe xx Scope of This Book xxiii Acknowledgments xxiii Conclusion xxix

Austria 1 Oskar Lehner The 1 Abortion in the Penal Code 1 Parliament and Reform 2 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 4 The Law of 1975 4 vi Contents

Abortion in Practice 7 The Politics of Abortion 11 The Future 14

Belgium 19 Vicky Claeys The History of Abortion Law 19 The Emergence of a Political Debate 19 Parliamentary Activity 22 The Rise of Abortion Centres 23 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 24 The Law of 1990 24 Abortion in Practice 25 The Politics of Abortion 27 The Future 28

Britain 31 Madeleine Simms The History of Abortion Law 31 Between the Wars 31 Parliamentary Activity 33 Social and Economic Factors Underlying Reform 35 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 36 The Law of 1967 36 Abortion in Practice 37 The Politics of Abortion 38 The Future 40

Bulgaria 43 Dimiter Vassilev The History of Abortion Law 43 Abortion on Demand 43 Restricting Abortion 44 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 45 The Law since 1990 45 Contents vii

The Incidence of Abortion 47 Illegal 50 The Future 51

Czech and Slovak Republics 55 Radim Uzel The History of Abortion Law 55 Abortion in the Communist Era 55 The "Velvet Revolution" 57 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 58 The Law of 1987 58 Abortion in Practice 59 The Politics of Abortion 63 The Future 65

Denmark 69 Nell Rasmussen The History of Abortion Law 69 Limited Abortion Rights 69 The Fight for Free Abortion 70 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 71 The Law of 1973 71 The Incidence of Abortion 73 Abortion in Practice 75 The Politics of Abortion 78 The Future 81

Finland 85 Marketta Ritamies The History of Abortion Law 85 The First Abortion Law 85 The Debate on Legal Reform 86 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 87 The Law of 1970 87 Abortion in Practice 90 Contents

Factors Influencing Abortion 93 The Politics of Abortion 95 The Future 97

France 101 Colette Gallard (Translation by Elinor Neubert) The History of Abortion Law 101 The Era of Illegality 101 The Struggle for Decriminalisation 102 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 105 The Law of 1979 105 Abortion in Practice 106 The Politics of Abortion 109 The Future 111

Germany 113 Sabine Klein-Schonnefeld The History of Abortion Law 113 The All-German Historical Background 113 Abortion Law in the Former Federal Republic of Germany 114 Abortion Law in the Former German Democratic Republic 117 Abortion: Law and Practice until June 1993 119 Abortion in Practice 119 The Politics of Abortion 122 The Abortion Question and the Process of Legal Unification 125 The Future 127 Assessment of the Proposed Legislative Changes 127 Present and Future: After the Constitutional Court Ruling 130

Hungary 139 Adam Balogh and Laszlo G. Lampe The History of Abortion Law 139 Pre-1950s 139 Contents jx

The Era of Childbirth by Order 140 1956: Liberalisation 142 1973: Restricting Abortion 144 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 146 The Law since 1989 146 Abortion in Practice 149 The Politics of Abortion 151 Update: The Law of 1993 153

Ireland 157 Anna Eggert and Bill Rolston The History of Abortion Law 157 Colonialism and Morality 157 The Law and Abortion 159 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 161 Abortion in Ireland, North and South 161 The Politics of Abortion: The South 162 The Politics of Abortion: The North 169 The Future 170

Netherlands 173 Evert Ketting The History of Abortion Law 173 The Struggle for a Liberal Abortion Law 173 Creation of Liberal Abortion Services 176 Abortion Services for Women from Abroad 178 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 179 The Law of 1984 179 Abortion in Practice 181 Attitudes Towards Abortion 183 The Future 184

Norway 187 Brita GuUi The History of Abortion Law 187 The Penal Code and Proposals for Reform 187 X Contents

The First Abortion Law, 1960 189 The New Women's Movement and Demands for Further Change 191 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 192 The Law of 1978 192 Abortion in Practice 193 The Politics of Abortion 196 The Future 196

Poland 199 Jolanta Plakwicz and Eleonora Zielinska The History of Abortion Law 199 The Era of Liberal Abortion 199 Legal Attempts to Restrict Abortion 201 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 202 Abortion in Practice 202 The Politics of Abortion 205 Update 209

Portugal 215 Duarte Vilar The History of Abortion Law 215 From Dictatorship to Democracy 215 Pre-1974: Widespread Illegal Abortion 216 Post-1974: Breaking Down the Wall of Silence 218 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 222 The Law of 1984 222 Abortion in Practice 222 The Future 225

Spain 229 Encarna Bodelon Gonzalez {Translated by Nuala McKeever) The History of Abortion Law 229 The Republic and the Franco Era 229 Democracy and Women's Struggle 230 Contents xi

Abortion: Current Law and Practice 231 The Law of 1985 231 Abortion in Practice 232 The Politics of Abortion 234 The Future 235

Sweden 237 Katarina Lindahl The History of Abortion Law 237 The Era of Illegal Abortions 237 The Fight for Legal Abortion 238 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 239 The Law of 1975 239 Abortion in Practice 240 Moral Attitudes 241 The Politics of Abortion 243 The Future 248

Switzerland 253 Anne-Marie Rey The History of Abortion Law 253 Abortion in the Penal Code 253 Attempts to Amend the Penal Code 254 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 256 The Law of 1942 256 The Cleavage Between Law and Practice 257 The Incidence of Abortion 259 The Politics of Abortion 261 The Future 264

USSR 267 Andrej A. Popov The History of Abortion Law 267 Pre-1920: Abortion Outlawed 267 1920: Legalisation of Abortion 269 xU Contents

1936: Abortion Prohibited 270 1955: Abortion Re-legalised 271 1974 and After: Manipulating the Statistics 271 The Politics of Abortion 274 Abortion: Current Law and Practice 279 The Legacy of History 279 The Incidence of Abortion 280 Contraception and Health 288 The Future 291 For Further Reading 299 Index 301 About the Contributors 307