Denmark: abortion up to 18 weeks?
In Denmark, a heated debate about extending the time limit for abortions has erupted after the Danish National Centre for Ethics recommended raising it from the current 12 weeks to 18 weeks of pregnancy. The press is divided.
A fight for freedom
Politiken looks beyond Denmark:
“The conservative wave is dangerous, not only for women, but for the whole struggle for freedom that the right to abortion symbolises. With the recommendation of the Ethics Council, Denmark shows that we are clearly on the side of women. It is their body, their choice. Raising the abortion limit will not only help Danish women, but also strengthen Denmark's voice in the fight to promote abortion rights worldwide.”
Self-determination is not an ethical value
The fact that a decision is self-determined does not automatically make it ethically right, notes Kristeligt Dagblad:
“One main argument is the self-determination of the pregnant woman. This argument prevails in all ethical discussions, but self-determination does not necessarily make something more ethical. This is a trivialisation of the ethical discussion. One can also use self-determination to make wrong decisions. Elevating self-determination to the status of an ethical value is one of the great mistakes of our generation.”