ROME — The tiny republic of San Marino passed a referendum legalizing abortion Sunday, eliminating one of Europe’s last pro-life bastions.
Sunday’s referendum passed by a large majority — 77.3 percent for and 22.7 percent against — or in absolute terms, more than 11 thousand votes in favor and 3200 opposed. Some 41 percent of registered voters turned out for the referendum.
San Marino was one of the very few places left in Europe where abortion is illegal or heavily restricted, together with Vatican City, Malta, Andorra, Liechtenstein, and Poland.
The referendum was held after 18 years of attempts to decriminalize abortion, which until now had failed.
The referendum asked the question “Do you want a woman to be allowed to voluntarily terminate her pregnancy within the twelfth week of gestation, and also thereafter if there is danger to the life of the woman or if there are anomalies and malformations of the fetus that involve serious risk for the physical or psychological health of the woman?”
“Whatever the outcome, we will work consistently to bear witness to the Gospel of life for a culture and a policy favorable to the family,” the bishop of San Marino, Andrea Turazzi, wrote on Facebook prior to the vote.
“We will look for friends to reorganize hope. Everyone is invited,” the bishop said.
The republic of San Marino is a European microstate completely surrounded by Italy. Its land area is just 24 square miles and its population, a little more than 33,000 people.
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