The law from 1864 prohibits almost all forms of abortion. A political “shock” and “earthquake” that could have an impact on the autumn elections.
A small group of protesters gathered in Tucson on Tuesday to demonstrate against the Arizona Supreme Court’s reinstatement of a law from 1864. Photo: Rebecca Noble, Reuters/NTB
Published: 11/04/2024 21:10
The short version
- The Arizona Supreme Court upholds an old law banning abortion. This arouses strong reactions.
The summary is created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) and quality assured by Aftenposten’s journalists.
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The Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a 160-year-old law. It involves an almost total ban on abortion.
It has sent shock waves through the nation. Arizona is considered a swing state, where it is very even between the Republicans and the Democrats. It is one of six to seven states where this autumn’s election will in reality be decided.
Even conservative Republicans fear that it has gone too far. They are generally most favorably disposed to strict abortion laws.
The law prohibits abortion from the moment of conception, unless it is to save the life of the mother. Those who contribute to an abortion can be imprisoned.
The Democrats, who believe they can win the election by focusing on the abortion issue, have wasted no time. They have organized press conferences in swing states across the country, reports Reuters.
Fact
This is what the 1864 law on abortion says
«A person who provides, supplies or administers to a pregnant woman, or procures such woman to take any medicine, drugs or substance, or uses or employs any instrument or other means whatever, with intent thereby to procure the miscarriage of such woman, unless it is necessary to save her life, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than two years nor more than five years.»
Source: Arizona State Legislature
Sea view
Blame Trump
The Democrats will stick the case to former President Donald Trump. He is again the likely candidate of the Republican Party.
Democrats blame him for the disappearance of the national right to abortion. It was three conservative justices appointed by Trump who ensured that there was a majority to overturn Roe vs. WadeRoe vs. Wade A ground-breaking ruling from the United States Supreme Court in 1973 that effectively legalized abortion throughout the United States. In June 2022, the judgment was in practice “overturned” by the Supreme Court judgment from 1973.
Donald Trump spoke to the press at the airport in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Alyssa Pointer / Reuters / NTB
Trump told the press on Wednesday that the law from 1864 goes too far.
But when asked if he thinks those who perform abortions should be punished, he replied that it should be up to the states. He ba the governor “and everyone else” to come up with a sensible solution in Arizona.
But Republicans in the state legislature on Wednesday rejected a proposal that would remove the 1864 law. Audience members chanted “shame on you, shame on you,” the AP reports.
– When they talk about abortion, they lose
Since 2022, abortion has been banned after the 6th week – or even earlier – in 17 states. But after what has happened in Arizona, the reactions are stronger than before.
Words such as “shock”, “scandal” and “earthquake” are used.
Party strategists from both sides say the law could sway moderate voters, even those who typically support Republicans, to vote for the Democratic Party. They also believe that young and colored voters can be mobilized.
President Joe Biden is seeking re-election. In 2020, he won Arizona by less than 11,000 votes. The total number of votes was 3.3 million.
– This has been an earthquake of epic proportions in Arizona politics, says Barrett Marson, according to Reuters. He is an election strategist on the Republican side based in the state capital, Phoenix.
– When the Republicans talk about abortion, they lose. Now I think the only topic is going to be abortion.
Kari Lake is a supporter of Donald Trump. Now she is trying to become a senator for Arizona. Photo: Matt York / AP / NTB
Abortion on the ballot
The strict abortion law may also have an impact on who wins the battle for one of the state’s two seats in the Senate.
Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake is a staunch supporter of Trump. She has praised the repeal of the nationwide right to abortion. She has also once expressed support for the 1864 Act, according to The Washington Post.
Now she is asking the governor to come up with an “immediate sensible solution that the people of Arizona can support.”
Supporters of free abortion have collected so many signatures that the abortion issue ends up on the ballot in the autumn. They want the right to abortion to be written into the state’s constitution, skriver The Washington Post.
2024-04-11 19:10:17
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