The number of signatures collected in Portugal to ask for a referendum on IV fertilisation has already been estimated at 75,000. This is the number required to force the Assembly of the Republic to discuss the bill of law, informs the Portuguese Catholic agency Ecclesia, explaining that “this could be the first referendum ever launched by the public in the history of our democracy”. The initiative refers to four bills of law that were discussed and passed by the Assembly of the Republic last November, which were then submitted to the Health Commission. The law is under discussion today, article by article, with a voting afterwards. Then it will be voted on by the plenary meeting of the Assembly and then sent on to the President of the Republic. Isilda Pegado, president of the Federation of pro-life associations and of the pro-referendum committee, explains that the collection of signatures has been “a great victory of democracy, since referendums were well overdue in our country”. (to be continued)
