San Marino votes to legalise abortion: partial referendum results

The tiny state of San Marino voted in a referendum on Sunday to allow abortion in the predominantly Catholic country, according to partial results from the interior ministry.

With 35 out of 37 areas declared, 77.29 percent of voters approved a motion to allow the termination of a pregnancy up to 12 weeks.

After the 12th week mark, abortion would only be allowed if the mother's life was in danger or in the case of foetal abnormalities which could harm the woman physically or psychologically.

The picturesque republic, situated on a mountainside in the centre of Italy, is one of the last places in Europe to have a total ban on abortion, even in cases of rape or incest, severe foetal impairment or risk to the mother's life.

In Sunday's referendum, initiated by the San Marino Women's Union (UDS), 35,411 voters -- a third of them living abroad -- were eligible to cast a ballot. The turnout was just over 41 percent, the ministry figures showed.

bh-ar/har