In view of the forthcoming elections to the national assembly (Austria’s legislative organ), scheduled for 24 November (cf. SirEurope no.41 of 14 November 2002), Bishop Klaus Küng of Feldkirch, with responsibility for the pastoral care of families, spoke in recent days about the ethical and social issues considered important by the Church. “Electors should pay attention to what parties and possible coalitions are most pledged to defending the fundamental values of human life”, said Msgr. Küng in a statement to the Catholic Kathpress agency, with regard to the calls for the depenalization of abortion being made by the socialdemocratic party, the SPÖ. In this regard, Küng mentioned some proposed reforms, including the separation between consultant doctor and the doctor practising abortion, the introduction of a moratorium of at least three days before a decision is taken by the pregnant woman, and obligatory screening by a consultant in the case of therapeutic abortion, which can be practised as late as the ninth month in Austria. On research on embryonal stem cells, Bishop Küng also declared: “The voter should take into account the position of the parties on this issue, if he/she intends to vote in a responsible manner”.
