In a dramatic vote in the Lagting (the parliamentary body of the Faroe Islands), a bill that would have allowed free abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy was rejected. The vote, which took place on Wednesday evening, ended with a tie result of 15 votes for and 15 against, meaning the proposal did not achieve the necessary majority to be adopted. Hervør Pálsdóttir, member of the party Tjóðveldisflokkurin and chairwoman of the judiciary committee, expressed great disappointment over the result. Pálsdóttir, who is also a co-founder of the association Fritt Val, which fights for free abortion rights, described the decision as “extremely disappointing” and a major setback for the rights of Faroese women. “It is a great defeat for the women of the Faroe Islands, as they will now have to wait many years before they can have control over their own bodies,” she told Femina, who was present during the vote.
The current abortion law in the Faroe Islands, dating back to 1956, only allows abortion under special circumstances. These include cases where the woman’s life or health is in serious danger, or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. Opposition to the proposal was led by Jenis av Rana from the party Midflokkurin, who argued that one should not decide who has the right to live. “Today has been the worst day of my life,” he told Femina after the tense vote. This vote marks another chapter in the ongoing debate about abortion rights in the Faroe Islands, a debate that is likely to continue in the coming years.