The Portuguese Parliament, ruled by a Socialist-Communist majority coalition, has further liberalized abortion laws and granted same-sex couples the right to adopt children. Overturning a veto by President Aníbal Cavaco Silva last month, the new ruling allows for same sex couples to adopt children and removes the mandatory requirement that women seeking an abortion receive prior counselling and pay for the procedure.

The President explained his veto by asking for more public debate on such “sensitive social topics.”

In 2010, the Portuguese Parliament had approved equal rights for same-sex marriages, excluding adoption rights. Portugal is among the first 10 counties in the world to allow same-sex marriages. Today, Portugal is one of the few countries in the world to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation in its Constitution. Read more via PAJ