Women who want to have an abortion will no longer have to wait five days before they can terminate their pregnancy. Following the example of the House of Representatives, the Senate also voted on Tuesday in favor of a bill that PvdA, GroenLinks, VVD and D66 submitted together.
The CDA voted divided. Four party members voted in favour, the rest against. The ChristenUnie, SGP, PVV, Forum for Democracy and OSF also voted against the bill.
The five-day cooling-off period started after consultation with a doctor and was intended to help women make an “informed and careful” decision about the abortion. According to the initiators, however, women are quite capable of making such a decision more quickly. In the future, a woman will be able to decide for herself, in consultation with a doctor, what time to think about it. That can differ per situation.
In February, the House of Representatives voted by roll call on this free issue, in which they could determine their own vote. Normally, political groups vote jointly. The coalition voted divided, because CDA and CU were against.
Even within parties, not all party members voted in favor of the initiative proposal. At the VVD there were two votes against. The PVV was also divided. In the end, 101 MPs were in favor of the bill and 38 against.
The amendment is expected to take effect on January 1, 2023.