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Portugal will hold a national referendum on whether to relax its laws against abortion, among the most restrictive in Europe, on February 11, President Anibal Cavaco Silva said Wednesday in a televised address to the nation.
Last month parliament approved a proposal by the majority Socialist government to call a fresh referendum asking voters if they agreed with the legalization of abortion for all women up to the 10th week of pregnancy.
Abortions are currently allowed in the predominantly Roman Catholic country only until the 12th week of pregnancy in cases of rape, a malformed foetus or if the woman's health is in danger.
Three in five voters, or 61 percent, back the easing of the nation's abortion laws while 30 percent are opposed, according to a poll published Tuesday in daily newspaper Diario de Noticias.
A majority of voters, 73 percent, intend to cast their ballots in the abortion referendum, the survey showed.
At least 50 percent of registered voters must cast ballots to make a referendum binding.
A referendum on the issue held in 1998 was declared void because of low turnout. Those who took part voted to uphold the existing strict laws by 51 percent to 49 percent.
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AFP 292048 GMT 11 06
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