Argentina senate thwarts bill to legalize abortion

Following a marathon debate spanning over 15 hours, Argentina’s lawmakers voted 38 to 31 against a bill that seeks to legalize elective abortion in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy in the country, overwhelmingly dominated by Roman Catholics.

The vote on Thursday was the culmination of years of abortion rights movement, which picked steam recently after President Mauricio Macri, a critic of legalizing abortion, heeded to public sentiments and held a vote in the lower house, notes the BBC.

Both the supporters and the critics of the proposed legislation flocked to the congressional palace as the Senators debated the contentious subject, writes Reuters. Anti-abortion activists hailed the outcome as a triumph for “family values” even as dejected pro-abortion groups said the passage of bill is just a matter of time.