Andorra Decriminalises Abortion for Women Without Domestic Legalisation, Espot Confirms

Andorra's government will decriminalise abortion by removing penalties for women from the penal code, without legalising or providing the procedure domestically, Head of Government Xavier Espot has reaffirmed.

Speaking on Catalunya Ràdio's *Ja m'entens* podcast, focused on LGBTIQ+ issues, Espot reiterated the challenges stemming from Andorra's coprincipality. French President Emmanuel Macron and Bishop of Urgell Joan-Enric Vives i Sicília serve as co-princes, and unlike equal marriage—approved in 2023 with just the French co-prince's countersignature—abortion conflicts with Catholic doctrine. "If we want to maintain our institutional structure, it is very difficult for abortions to be carried out in Andorra," he said, describing the system as a centuries-old asset worth preserving amid global uncertainties.

The executive seeks a balanced approach to advance women's rights, including a public support system so women can access safe, high-quality services abroad meeting standards like those in France. Espot ruled out simple legalisation, emphasising that the measure amounts to decriminalisation, not authorisation within Andorra.

Espot, who is openly gay, reflected on his personal journey, recalling adolescence as a time of doubt over his sexual orientation, marked by songs like Roxette's *It Must Have Been Love* from *Pretty Woman*. He clarified that his 2023 public statement on Ràdio Nacional was not a "coming out," as he had never hidden it, and viewed it as a way to normalise diversity. "Independent of your sexual orientation, you can become Head of Government and thrive professionally," he noted, predicting a future transgender leader as social progress proves "irreversible."

He praised Andorra's LGBTIQ+ strides—from 2014 civil unions with adoption rights, which he helped enact as justice minister, to 2023 equal marriage, making Andorra the 33rd country worldwide. Recent public health coverage includes hormone therapy and gender transition surgeries. Espot credited activists like Som com som, Diversand and Horitzons, while stressing the need for better hate crime data.

Amid international polarisation, he expressed concern over conservative shifts among youth on diversity, immigration and women's rights, despite Andorra's relatively liberal ethos that respects personal freedoms.

Espot also addressed OnlyFans, defending its classification as prostitution where economic exploitation occurs. "These platforms are a modern form of abusing certain people," he said, noting penalties target profiteers, not users, to adapt laws to digital realities.