A new stage

With a clear majority (59%, albeit with a rate of participation of less than 50%) the Portuguese, on Sunday 11 February, said ‘yes’ to a liberalization of abortion up to the tenth week of pregnancy. The result is not unexpected, bearing in mind the opinion polls published a few days before the referendum, though the first opinion polls indicated a far wider margin of support. It may be said that the fight of the ‘no’ campaign was like David against Goliath: a fight against the majority of politicians, the majority of the media (far from the impartiality one should expect from them), and especially against an ever-more widespread mentality, also in Portugal, of absolutizing personal freedom in a radically individualistic sense. So it was a struggle against the tide. This result represents, perhaps, for Portugal what a similar referendum represented for Italy over twenty years ago. It has to be acknowledged that the Catholic Church, also in this western confine of Europe, no longer has the influence it had in the past (one already knew this, but the result of the referendum brings it home to us even more clearly). Uncritically aping the example of most European countries (by voting ‘yes’ in the referendum) was presented as a sign of “modernity”, without taking into consideration what has been the net result of all these years of the liberalization of abortion in these nations and without seeking to learn from the errors of others. It is fearful to acknowledge that – as the experience of other countries shows – it is difficult to turn back from a step like this. Nor are the comments of Premier Jose Socrates reassuring: according to him, “the result of the referendum is in doubt” and “abortion will cease to be a crime in Portugal”. It is also fearful to reflect that especially the younger generations ensured the win of the ‘yes’ vote, and that this result could have a negative influence on countries culturally linked to Portugal, such as Brazil and other Latin-American countries, where discussions on abortion are now the order of the day. But in the midst of all this darkness, a light of hope has also been lit up. The popular mobilization in support of the ‘no’ vote in the referendum is unparalleled in the recent history of Portugal. All the work put into the campaign enabled so many people to hear a message that the media usually pass over in silence: the message that human life is a wonderful gift, despite all the difficulties. So the culture of life has become stronger. No effort was in vain and none of this work will be wasted. No one can stop the work that has been undertaken. A deeper and longer-term work of forming consciences has now begun. The task before us will be more difficult because a law that turns abortion into a right is undoubtedly an obstacle to forming consciences. Real solidarity with pregnant women in difficulty, through the various pro-life centres, will also be reinforced now, even more so than after the referendum in 1998. The people who were mobilized in the ‘no’ campaign are admittedly a minority (for the majority of Portuguese didn’t vote), but they are one of those “creative minorities” of which Benedict XVI speaks. They know that another stage has begun for them, more difficult, but no less stimulating.