Hereditary Prince Alois expected to veto abortion legislation

Alois, Hereditary Prince and regent of Liechtenstein, is expected to veto an abortion initiative passed by parliament.

Liechtenstein’s sovereign has the power to dismiss governments, appoint judges, call for referendums and veto legislation.

The new initiative would legalise abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Liechtenstein currently has one of the strictest abortion laws in Europe. Abortion is only allowed when a woman’s life is at risk or if the pregnancy is a girl under the age of 14 and/or is the result of rape. If an abortion happens outside of these regulations, a woman can be jailed for up to a year.

The initiative was passed by Liechtenstein’s Landtag with a narrow backing of 13 votes to 12. It would also lift a ban on providing abortion information and cover abortions under health insurance.

Prince Alois has already indicated to the Liechtensteiner Vaterland newspaper that he would veto any abortion legislation, citing “the central legal interest of the protection of life.”

He said, “My desire is that together we can build a society in which every child is welcomed, and every mother and father receive the support they need to make the right decision for their child. A society that protects life must also be a society that does not abandon people in difficulty.”