Belgium Abortion Reform in Jeopardy as Coalition Allies Clash

Belgium’s long-awaited abortion law reform has hit a critical roadblock, with coalition partner Vooruit threatening to block Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden’s proposal to extend the legal termination limit from 12 to 14 weeks. Party leader Conner Rousseau has warned that his party will vote against the legislation unless it is part of a broader package addressing euthanasia for dementia patients and a legal framework for surrogacy, as reported by Het Laatste Nieuws.

The Proposal at a Glance

Justice Minister Verlinden (CD&V) has drafted legislation that would extend Belgium’s abortion limit from 12 to 14 weeks after conception, reduce the mandatory reflection period from six days to two days, and allow victims of sexual violence to terminate pregnancies up to 18 weeks. The minister has described the proposal as “a search for balance between more autonomy for women and the protection of unborn life,” as reported by VRT NWS.

CD&V has also conditioned its support for the abortion law on parliamentary approval of a separate bill by MP Els Van Hoof that would expand access to compensation for contraception.

Rousseau’s Ultimatum

Speaking in the HLN podcast “Het Rapport van de Wetstraat,” Rousseau made clear his position: “If it is only 14 weeks and there is no prospect of the other ethical dossiers — euthanasia for dementia and a legal framework for surrogacy — then that is not according to the government agreement. The conservative CD&V has been blocking progress on ethical dossiers for years.”

Rousseau argued that Vooruit is “principally for 18 weeks” and criticized Verlinden for disregarding the unanimous recommendation of a government-commissioned expert panel that called for an 18-week limit. “If the hearings show we should move toward 18 weeks, and she wipes her feet on it, then it was all busywork and wasted tax money,” he said.

Expert Consensus Ignored

In 2023, a panel of seven experts from all Belgian universities — including representatives from Catholic universities — unanimously recommended extending the abortion limit to at least 18 weeks and abolishing the mandatory reflection period. The recommendation came at the request of CD&V MP Joachim Goens, yet the party announced it would not go beyond 14 weeks even before the report was published.

Dr. Anne Verougstraete, a VUB gynecologist and member of the expert panel, told RTBF that “even in Belgium, the right to abortion is never guaranteed.” She warned that extending the limit to 14 weeks would help only 22% of the 400-500 women who currently travel to the Netherlands annually for later-term abortions, while an 18-week limit would help 74%.

“The question is not to abort or not to abort, but to abort where?” Verougstraete asked, noting that the Netherlands allows abortion up to 22-24 weeks.

Criticism from All Sides

The proposal has drawn fire from across the political spectrum. Opposition parties have joined Vooruit in condemning the plan as insufficient. Stefaan Van Hecke, Groen faction leader, told VRT NWS: “This is simply the same old CD&V position that is miles away from the scientific consensus and from the majority in parliament.”

Katja Gabriëls, an Anders/Open VLD MP, criticized the rape exception as legally unworkable, noting that a judicial ruling confirming rape “does not happen within 18 weeks of the facts. That is legal nonsense.”

The Fetal Pain Controversy

Verlinden has justified the 14-week limit by citing potential fetal pain after that point. However, the expert report states that pain perception develops between 22 and 26 weeks after conception. Verougstraete dismissed the argument, telling The Brussels Times: “The brain structures necessary for experiencing pain, such as all those neural pathways, are not yet present at 15 weeks.” She also noted that late-term procedures are performed under general anesthesia, rendering the concern moot.

Coalition Dynamics at Play

The standoff places the governing coalition in a precarious position. If Vooruit follows through on its threat, the government would fail to pass abortion reform entirely, maintaining the current 12-week limit — a status quo that sends 400-500 women to the Netherlands each year. Both parties face political risk: CD&V could be seen as blocking reform, while Vooruit could be accused of letting perfection become the enemy of progress.

What’s Next

The proposal now heads to parliamentary debate, where the coalition’s internal divisions will be tested. Whether a compromise can be reached — or whether the entire reform effort collapses — remains uncertain. What is clear is that Belgium’s abortion laws, last substantially reformed in 1990, are once again at the center of a fierce political battle that reflects deeper ideological divides within the country’s complex coalition government.

As Verougstraete warned: “It is a shame… We agreed on a limit of 18 weeks after conception, and we wanted to do away with the mandatory reflection period. But even before the report was published, CD&V made it clear they would not go beyond 14 weeks.”