Liechtenstein prince vetoes abortion bill

Liechtenstein's Hereditary Prince Alois vetoed a bill on Tuesday that aimed to legalize abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, despite a citizens' initiative co-signed by a quarter of voters and passed in the principality's parliament. Abortion remains illegal in Liechtenstein unless the pregnancy poses a severe risk to the woman's health or resulted from sexual assault.

Women typically travel to neighboring Austria or Switzerland for the procedure, which campaigners argue creates uncertainty and adds financial burdens. The bill was introduced by the Fristenlösung citizens' initiative, which gathered nearly 5,000 signatures, representing roughly a quarter of registered voters. The proposal would have decriminalized abortion up to 12 weeks of gestation and lifted the ban on providing information about abortion.

The bill's prinzliche house stated that it was "not suitable for adequately protecting unborn life as a central legal interest," a claim Alois had previously acknowledged in June. Campaigners expressed disappointment, noting that their efforts since June seemed futile. Liechtenstein, a small Alpine principality of around 40,000 residents, has a unique political system that combines direct democracy through referendums with a monarchy where the reigning prince holds significant executive powers.

Alois's absolute veto authority was confirmed by a 2012 referendum, and he used it for the first time to reject the abortion bill. Campaigners criticized the parliament's decision to bypass a referendum and send the bill directly to Alois for approval, arguing that it spared him from a potential conflict with his constituents. Despite the veto, campaigners emphasized that abortion would still occur in neighboring countries, as the ban on information about abortion essentially serves as a prohibition on abortion-related advertising.