Spanish MPs narrowly voted on Tuesday to continue moving forward with legislation to drastically limit access to abortion in the country.
In a secret ballot, initiated by the Socialist Parliamentary Group, MPs voted 183 to 151 against abandoning the proposed changes to the abortion law.
Tabled in late December by the governing People's party, the legislation seeks to enact some of the toughest abortion legislation in Europe. Widely attacked by women's groups as a step backwards, the changes will make abortion illegal except in the case of rape or when there is a risk to the physical and mental health of the mother. Any woman wanting an abortion would require two doctors to verify these circumstances were being met.
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