MADRID – A huge crowd is rallying in Madrid against a bill that would ease Spain's restrictive abortion law.
A sea of people waving banners, balloons and flags marched down a major boulevard in the Spanish capital Saturday to denounce the legislation.
The bill would allow unrestricted abortions at up to 14 weeks of pregnancy and let girls aged 16 and 17 have abortions without parental consent.
The rally by at least tens of thousands of people shows how sensitive the abortion issue still is in this traditionally Catholic country after it was legalized in 1985 with strict restrictions.
Parliament is expected to vote this year on the legislation. The Socialist government says it would give women full rights over their reproductive choices.
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