US State: Florida Tightens Abortion Laws | tagesschau.de

So far, the US state of Florida has banned abortion from the 15th week of pregnancy. In future, abortion will not be possible from the sixth week.

In the US state of Florida, abortion is to be banned from the sixth week of pregnancy. The Republican-dominated Tallahassee Legislature passed the legislation. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign the legislation. So far, abortion has been banned in the state from the 15th week of pregnancy.

DeSantis is likely to record tightening abortion laws as a political victory. The conservative 44-year-old is said to have ambitions for the Republican presidential nomination. He is considered a strong intra-party rival to former US President Donald Trump, who has already officially applied.

US government: “extreme and dangerous” austerity

The US government in Washington has strongly criticized the practice and described the ban on planned abortions from the sixth week as “extreme and dangerous”. “This ban violates basic liberties and is inconsistent with the views of the majority of people in Florida and across the United States,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

A ban on abortion already applies to many women before they learn of their pregnancy. This would affect all women who need to travel to Florida to obtain an abortion because of restrictions in other states.

New ban after Supreme Court verdict

Last year, the Supreme Court, with its conservative majority, struck down the country’s nearly 50-year-old abortion law. Since then, states have been able to decide independently on abortion regulations.

States like Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi have banned abortions at any point in pregnancy, and Georgia bans them after a heartbeat is detected, which is six weeks.