Title: Christian Democrats in EU Parliament Vote Against Abortion Rights for All EU Countries
Sara Skyttedal and David Lega, members of the Christian Democrats in the EU Parliament, have recently made headlines for their vote against the right to abortion covering all countries in the Union. This decision concerns changes to the EU’s founding treaties, which are the basic rules for how EU cooperation should function.
This move has raised eyebrows among other parties, as the opposition to abortion is primarily a problem for the Christian Democrats. The Moderates and KD voted no to the proposal, with the Moderates announcing after the vote that they had voted “wrong”. However, it is not possible to change your vote once it is set.
This vote comes on the heels of a similar controversy involving Lars Adaktusson, who voted against abortion rights numerous times during his tenure in the EU Parliament. Adaktusson’s successor, Sara Skyttedal, and David Lega, also seem to hold similar opinions on the matter.
The EU Parliament’s push to include the right to abortion in the treaty comes in response to global backlash against women’s rights. Last year, the US Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade law from 1973, resulting in the removal of abortion rights at the federal level.
The move by the Christian Democrats in the EU Parliament has been criticized as being a betrayal of women in Poland and Malta, who are fighting for the right to decide over their own bodies. With only Poland and Malta currently having an abortion ban in the EU, the Christian Democrats’ vote is not only seen as a shame for Sweden but also as a setback for women’s rights across the continent.
*After the article was published, David Lega’s press secretary announced that, like the members of the Moderates, he corrected his vote afterwards. However, it is not possible to change the vote itself, but the cast vote remains.