News

By Terry Vanderheyden

VADUZ, November 28, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Liechtenstein, a predominantly Catholic European nation, has legalized abortion. A national referendum there Sunday saw only 20% support for an initiative of Catholic Archbishop Wolfgang Haas and other pro-life groups to implement a constitutional amendment to ban the procedure.

Although up until now it has been technically illegal to commit abortion in Liechtenstein, the prior abortion law included exceptions for underage and unwed mothers, and where the pregnancy would constitute a serious health risk to the mother. The government introduced a measure to legalize abortion last year; 80% of voters ratified that proposal yesterday.

Archbishop Wolfgang Haas campaigned tirelessly to promote the pro-life cause, calling the government proposal to legalize abortion a “death melody.”

Liechtenstein, a country nestled in the Alps between Switzerland and Austria, is the size of Washington, D.C., and has a population of 33,000. The national holiday is August 15, the Catholic feast of the Assumption.