Andorra Women's Groups Skeptical of Abortion Decriminalization Timeline

Women's rights groups in Andorra have expressed deep scepticism over the government's timeline for decriminalising abortion, warning that the proposed legislation may face further delays. The doubts emerged after Interior Minister Ladislau Baró announced this week in the General Council that a draft text would arrive before summer, following a parliamentary debate on the issue.

Vanessa Mendoza, president of Stop Violències, dismissed the schedule as unreliable, predicting it would be postponed beyond the summer and after next year's elections. She accused institutional opposition, particularly from the episcopal co-prince, of deliberately stalling progress. "This is a matter of state, but the episcopal co-prince does not want it," Mendoza said, noting the group's lack of trust in the government since 2019. She highlighted that many women still travel abroad for abortions or seek unsafe alternatives without medical support, and emphasised Stop Violències' international network aiding access to reproductive rights through bodies like the UN.

Acció Feminista echoed the concerns. President Laia Farré stated, "Until we see it, we won't believe it," recalling a major disappointment earlier this year when a promised autumn reform vanished amid papal comments, leading to indefinite suspension. Farré welcomed a Social Democrat amendment by Susanna Vela to remove women from the penal code during its ongoing reform but insisted it must also decriminalise doctors to enable referrals. She stressed parallel CASS health coverage to avoid leaving women economically vulnerable.

Parliamentary reactions revealed divisions despite broad recognition of the issue as unresolved. Cerni Escalé of Concòrdia argued decriminalising only women changes nothing, as no prosecutions have occurred; he prioritised protecting physicians to allow medical services and referrals abroad, plus CASS reimbursements. Vela of the Social Democrats saw the debate as an opportunity for legalisation, urging civil society involvement. Demòcrates leader Jordi Jordana maintained the current constitution accommodates women's rights alongside the right to life, without needing reform. Head of Government Xavier Espot acknowledged it as a pending matter, pursued "discreetly and calmly," while noting advances in gender equality over the past decade and balancing it with other rights.

The discussions followed Constitution Day messages, including from French Co-Prince Emmanuel Macron emphasising women's rights, which Espot interpreted as supportive yet institutionally framed. Advocacy groups continue pressing for swift action amid these institutional tensions.