Argentina's Senate Will Vote on Abortion Bill on August 8

Leaders of the legislative blocs in the Argentine Senate agreed they will vote on the bill to legalize elective abortions within the first 14 weeks of pregnancy on Aug. 8. The bill was approved by the lower chamber of Congress on June 14.

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On Wednesday the Senate also determined the number of commissions that will review the bill after negotiations between the Senate’s president and Vice President Gabriela Michetti, who opposes the bill, and supporter of it Miguel Pinchetto, leader of the Federal Argentina parliamentary bloc.

Michetti had intended to have four commissions review the bill, a move criticized as a stalling tactic, and Pinchetto was advocating for two. Finally they decided that the health, Justice and constitutional affair commission will review the bill.

The budget and internal revenue commission, led by a fierce detractor of legalizing abortion, Esteban Bullrich, was left out.   

The negotiation was approved paving the way to start processing the bill on Tuesday. By Aug. 1 the senate must have ruled on the bill leading to a vote on the 8th.

It is estimated that between 370,000 and 520,000 women have abortions under illegal and unsafe abortions. In Argentina women are allowed to have abortions only when the mother’s life is at risk, or when pregnancy was the result of rape.

So far 27 senators have said they will vote in favor of the law, 29 have confirmed their rejections of the bill, and 16 remain undecided.