“To quote a former professor of mine,” said assistant professor of political science Maria Rosales, “‘politics is just a sideshow in the circus of people’s lives.'” As a Portuguese referendum on women’s reproductive rights was invalidated because of low voter turnout, it seems the political sideshow is losing its shock value and appeal.
Portugal has one of the most stringent abortion policies in the entire European Union. It is the only country in the EU to legally try not only those who conduct illegal abortions, but the women who receive them and the “accomplices” or families who support their decision.
The current law, passed in 1984, rarely allows abortions and only in extreme cases. Abortions are allowed before the 16th week of pregnancy in instances of rape, within 24 weeks if the fetus is found to be physically deformed, or at any point if the mother’s life is in serious danger.
On Feb.11, the Portuguese government sponsored a referendum to decriminalize abortions within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Previous pro-choice movements focused on the feminist perspective of “it’s my womb, and I shall do as I please.”
This campaign, however, tried to sway conservative voters in the traditionally Catholic country by claiming that new legislation would end the dangerous practice of clandestine abortions.
“It is appealing to the audience in a different way,” said assistant professor of sociology Kathryn Schmidt. “Saying ‘it’s safer than a coat hanger’ puts it in a more pragmatic way, taking it out of values, making it more of a ‘where’ question not ‘whether.'”
Once the votes were tallied, The New York Times presented the results to be 40.75 percent against and 59.25 percent in favor of a law change. However, Portuguese referendums, based not on plurality, require that 50 percent of the population participate in the voting process.
Only 44 percent of the population came out to vote, therefore yielding the pro-choice victory nonbinding.
“People think they don’t need to get involved and they don’t want to,” said Schmidt in response to the low voter turnout. “It sounds to me, people weren’t willing to commit themselves to a side. It’s really hard to make this into a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.'”
While Portuguese law does not consider the results legally binding Prime Minister Jos S¢crates wants to push the legislation forward.
S¢crates said that despite the dismal turnout, the country’s intentions were obvious. He intends to use his Socialist party’s majority in Parliament to quickly pass the law, reports Reuters.
“The people spoke with a clear voice,” said S¢crates to the BBC. “Our interest is to fight clandestine abortion and we have to produce a law that respects the result of the referendum.”
Despite Portugal’s conservative abortion policy, other contraceptive methods are available. A legal morning-after pill is available to the public, and 80 percent of the population uses contraceptives, according to The New York Times.
Paradoxically, the country has the second-highest pregnancy rate in the EU, behind only Britain, and has over 23,000 illegal abortions per year.
“People have responded by being more responsible with contraception,” said Schmidt, “but obviously 23,000 women are still desperate to control their fertility.