Andorran Official Pushes Abortion Decriminalisation Despite Vatican Ties

Judith Pallarès, secretary general of the Andorran Women's Institute (IAD) and a member of the government majority from Acció Liberal, has become the first figure from the ruling coalition to prioritise abortion decriminalisation over preserving Andorra's co-principality with the Vatican and France.

In separate interviews with Ràdio Nacional and ATV, the former leader of Acció—a party now merged into Acció Liberal, which supports the executive and holds a seat on the Consell General via councillor Marc Magalló—urged immediate action. She called on the government to remove abortion from the penal code at minimum, while developing options for the three standard cases of maternal health risks, fetal malformations, and rape pregnancies, and fitting them into the health system.

Pallarès dismissed concerns over recent remarks by Pope Leo XIV or threats to the co-principality structure, insisting the debate must centre on women's freedom rather than religious impositions or Andorra's legal framework. "We must force the situation now," she said, adding that "nothing is eternal" and highlighting the gender imbalance: men face no legal restrictions on reproductive choices, while women alone bear the penalty.

She acknowledged the political tensions but said her role requires advancing demands from international bodies and IAD executive committee associations. Decriminalisation remains viable, she argued, with limits akin to those in other nations, rather than full liberalisation. In the interim, Pallarès suggested regulated access to abortions abroad—beyond Andorra's borders in public Catalan centres, French facilities, or private clinics—to avoid clandestinity and penalties.

Catalan health data for 2024 shows 143 Andorran women using public centres there, a figure Pallarès said understates the total when including French and private options. She pressed the government to act without Vatican approval.