Finland – Amendments to the Abortion Act approved

Finnish government,Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
20.12.2022
PRESS RELEASE

The President of the Republic has approved the amendments to the Abortion Act. In future, a pregnancy may be terminated solely based on the pregnant woman’s request until the end of the twelfth week of pregnancy. In the 1970 Act, an opinion by two doctors was required in most cases for the termination of pregnancy, and grounds had to be presented.

The legislative amendment will not change the regulation in cases where abortion is carried out after the twelfth week of pregnancy. At the request of the pregnant woman, pregnancy may also be ended after the twelfth week of pregnancy if the continuation of pregnancy or giving birth would endanger the life or health of the pregnant woman. In this case, two doctors must be of the opinion that the termination is necessary.

Continued: https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-//1271139/amendments-to-the-abortion-act-approved

20.12.2022

National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health

Oma tahto 2020 citizens’ initiative

Finland reforms abortion law to replace outdated legislation

By The Associated Press
Wed., Oct. 26, 2022

HELSINKI (AP) — Lawmakers have approved a legislative reform that will ease the process of getting an abortion in Finland, which currently has the Nordic region’s strictest abortion law, dating back to 1970 and seen by many citizens as outdated.

Finland’s 200-seat Eduskunta legislature on Wednesday voted by a wide margin 125-41 in favor of a law reform that will, among other things, abolish the need for approval from two doctors to terminate a pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.thestar.com/news/world/europe/2022/10/26/finland-reforms-abortion-law-to-replace-outdated-legislation.html

26.10.2022

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abortion law reform

abortion on request up to 12 weeks

Finland abortion law

Saara-Sofia Siren

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COVID-19 impacted access to abortion care all over Europe

Access to abortion care is an important and politically charged topic. It is a human rights issue affecting essential aspects of women’s healthcare. As a global disruptive event, COVID-19 affected abortion access in many European countries.

Jun 9, 2021
University of Oulu

Government policies on abortion are a longstanding topic of heated political debate. The COVID-19 pandemic shook health care systems to the core adding to the complexity of the issue, as the imposed national lockdowns and mobility restrictions affected millions of women’s timely access to abortion care across the globe. Researchers from Finland and France examined how all of the European Union countries and the United Kingdom responded to the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 crisis in terms of providing access to abortion care.

Continued: https://www.oulu.fi/en/news/covid-19-impacted-access-abortion-care-all-over-europe

09.06.2021

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abortion access during pandemic

Covid-19 and abortion

Dr. Guido Giunti

Jovana Stanisljevic

Neva Bojovic

telemedicine abortion

Finland has the lowest abortion rate among Nordic countries

08 APRIL 2021

Recent figures from the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) have revealed that Finland has the lowest rate of induced abortions among Nordic countries.

It also has the strictest abortion laws, being the only Nordic country where women need to acquire the signature of at least one doctor (in some cases two) to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/news-in-brief/19010-finland-has-the-lowest-abortion-rate-among-nordic-countries.html

08.04.2021

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Anna Heino

Finland abortion statistics

Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare

National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health

Finland – 50K signatures for citizens’ initiative on abortion law reform

Current laws are from 1970 and require two doctors' testimonials before a woman can terminate a pregnancy.

18.10.2020

A citizens’ initiative to bring Finland’s abortion laws into the 21st century has gathered more than 50,000 signatures from supporters, compelling lawmakers to consider the changes it proposes.

The legislative proposal seeks to do away with the requirement for a woman to get clearance from two doctors before she can have an abortion. According to the Feminist Association Unioni, the main sponsor of the initiative, medicalising abortion places an unwarranted burden on the healthcare system. It also unnecessarily prolongs the process, since the majority of terminations no longer require hospital procedures.

Continued: https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/50k_signatures_for_citizens_initiative_on_abortion_law_reform/11600889

18.10.2020

abortion law reform

Amnesty International Finland

citizens' initiative

Family Federation of Finland

Feminist Association Unioni

Finnish League for Human Rights

Finland – Foreign Minister Soini faces no action over anti-abortion blog post

Foreign Minister Soini faces no action over anti-abortion blog post
The Chancellor of Justice threw out two formal complaints over Timo Soini's online opinions, citing free speech.

27.11.2018

Finland's Chancellor of Justice Tuomas Pöysti ruled on Tuesday that Foreign Minister Timo Soini will face no consequences over his public anti-abortion sentiments.

Pöysti overruled two complaints he had received in connection to one of Soini's blog posts, wherein he defended the Argentine Senate's decision to scrap a proposal to make abortion legal in the country. The view was at odds with the government's official policy line.

Continued: https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/foreign_minister_soini_faces_no_action_over_anti-abortion_blog_post/10528030

27.11.2018

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Finnish FM survives confidence vote after abortion row

Finnish FM survives confidence vote after abortion row
After surviving a no confidence vote, Finland's Foreign Minister Timo Soini admitted he had

21 Sep 2018

HELSINKI: Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini clung on to his job on Friday (Sep 21) after winning a no-confidence vote in parliament over his attendance at an anti-abortion vigil during an official visit to Canada.

Members of parliament voted 100 to 60 against a motion to oust Soini.

Continued: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/finnish-fm-survives-confidence-vote-after-abortion-row-10746290

21.09.2018

National Coalition Party

Finnish Chancellor of Justice sees FM’s appearance in anti-abortion event problematic

Finnish Chancellor of Justice sees FM's appearance in anti-abortion event problematic

Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-19
Editor: Mu Xuequan

HELSINKI, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Finnish Chancellor of Justice Tuomas Poysti determined that the participation of Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini in an anti-abortion event in Canada last May was "problematic", the Chancellor's office said on Tuesday.

The Chancellor took the stand in response to citizens' complaints about Soini's actions. The Chancellor is an independent highest supervising official of legality in Finland.

Continued: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-09/19/c_137477196.htm

19.09.2018

Finland – Opposition parties move to oust anti-abortion Foreign Minister Soini

Opposition parties move to oust anti-abortion Foreign Minister Soini
Four parties in the Finnish parliament are to propose a motion of no-confidence in Foreign Minister Timo Soini over his opposition to abortion rights.

Sep 7, 2018

Foreign Minister Timo Soini faces a vote of no-confidence in parliament after four opposition parties came together to propose the motion. Their move follows a string of anti-abortion statements Soini has made on his blog and his participation in an anti-abortion demonstration in Canada while on an official visit.

SDP parliamentary group leader Antti Lindtman said that a majority of MPs are opposed to Soini’s actions and statements.

Continued: https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/opposition_parties_move_to_oust_anti-abortion_foreign_minister_soini/10393623

07.09.2018

Finland – Soini’s views on abortion are medieval, slams Halla-aho

Soini’s views on abortion are medieval, slams Halla-aho

Created: 14 August 2018

Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini’s (BR) views on abortion are medieval, states Jussi Halla-aho, the chairperson of the Finns Party.

“I think it’s slightly disconcerting if your thoughts revolve too much around questions like this. I think there should also be other themes in politics,” Halla-aho stated in a news conference held in Helsinki on Monday, 13 August.

Continued: http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/politics/15748-soini-s-views-on-abortion-are-medieval-slams-halla-aho.html

14.08.2018