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Spain’s Council of State Backs Abortion-Right Amendment via Article 43, Questions Rationale

The advisory opinion permits the reform to proceed through the health article despite warning that the choice reflects political convenience.

Overview

  • The Council of State’s dictamen finds no legal obstacle to adding a clause to Article 43 to recognize the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy, allowing the reform to advance.
  • It warns the right does not find a “natural” fit in Article 43 and indicates that true constitutional entrenchment would point to Article 15, which requires the aggravated reform route.
  • The opinion characterizes the Government’s emphasis on procedural ease as “political opportunity,” stressing that content should determine the reform path.
  • The Council cites Constitutional Court jurisprudence upholding abortion laws to question claims that only a constitutional change can prevent future judicial reversals.
  • The advice is consultative and non-binding, so the Executive can return the project to the Council of Ministers and then the Cortes, where a three‑fifths majority remains uncertain given PP opposition.