Belgium Proposes Extending Abortion Term to 14 Weeks
Belgian Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) has tabled a legislative proposal to extend the legal term for abortion from 12 to 14 weeks of pregnancy, in a carefully calibrated compromise aimed at bridging deep ideological divides within the country’s governing coalition. The draft law, first reported by Mediahuis newspapers and confirmed by VRT NWS, represents the most significant attempt to reform Belgium’s abortion framework since the law was removed from the criminal code in 2018.
The Proposal
The legislation would extend the current 12-week limit by two weeks, falling short of the 18-week extension recommended by a scientific expert committee. Verlinden described the proposal as “a balance between more autonomy for women and the protection of unborn life,” according to VRT NWS.
Key provisions include:
- Extension to 14 weeks: The general legal limit for abortion would move from 12 to 14 weeks of pregnancy
- Rape exception: Victims of sexual violence would be permitted to terminate pregnancies up to 18 weeks
- Shortened reflection period: The mandatory waiting period between initial consultation and procedure would be reduced from six days to two
The minister emphasized that the 14-week limit is non-negotiable. “The limit for me is fourteen weeks. I will not negotiate about that, let alone organize a carpet market over it,” Verlinden told De Morgen, as reported by VRT NWS.
Political Context
The proposal is the product of a delicate balancing act within the De Wever government, a five-party coalition spanning from the Flemish nationalist N-VA to the socialist Vooruit. CD&V, historically the most conservative party on abortion, conditioned its support for the reform on parliamentary approval of a separate bill by MP Els Van Hoof (CD&V) that would expand access to reimbursed contraception, allowing the party to frame the package as prevention-focused.
Verlinden stressed that the compromise was necessary to move forward on an issue that has stalled repeatedly. “The dialogue continued based on the advice of that scientific committee. It is then up to politics, on ethical themes — and this is quintessentially one about life and death — to make decisions,” she said on Radio 1’s De Ochtend, as quoted by VRT NWS.
Criticism from All Sides
The compromise has drawn fire from multiple directions. Progressive coalition partners argue the proposal does not go far enough. Katja Gabriëls of Anders (formerly Open VLD) criticized the rape exception as legally unworkable, telling VRT NWS: “In our country, it is up to a judge to determine whether there is a case of rape. As far as I know, such a ruling does not happen within 18 weeks of the facts. That is legal nonsense.”
Oskar Seuntjens, federal faction leader for Vooruit, echoed the demand for a full 18-week term and abolition of the waiting period entirely. “There must be a serious relaxation of the abortion law. Like all experts, we advocate for an extension of the abortion term to 18 weeks and the abolition of the patronizing waiting period,” he said, according to VRT NWS.
Abortion rights advocates have also expressed disappointment. LUNA, the association of Dutch-speaking abortion centers in Belgium, previously described a two-week extension as “a measure for nothing,” advocating instead for alignment with the Netherlands, where abortion is legal up to 22 weeks.
Historical Background
Belgium’s abortion law has a fraught history. Abortion was fully legalized in 1990 only after King Baudouin temporarily stepped down on grounds of conscience — a unique constitutional episode in which the government declared the king unable to govern, enacted the law, and reinstated him 44 hours later, as documented by Wikipedia. The current legal framework, dating from October 2018, removed abortion from the criminal code but maintained the 12-week limit and six-day reflection period.
What’s Next
The proposal will first be discussed within the government before being sent to Parliament. Given the divisions within the coalition, the legislative path remains uncertain. Progressive parties may attempt to amend the bill to extend the term to 18 weeks, which could trigger a government crisis if CD&V refuses to accept changes. Amnesty International, in its 2025 global human rights report, highlighted stalled abortion reforms in Belgium as a domestic concern, noting that the country “presents itself as a defender of human rights but has not always matched its commitments with action,” as reported by Belga News Agency.
The coming weeks will test whether Verlinden’s carefully crafted compromise can survive the competing pressures of coalition politics, or whether Belgium’s long-running debate over reproductive rights will remain unresolved.