Denmark Faroe Islands relax strict abortion laws
The parliament of the Faroe Islands has voted to liberalize the abortion laws on the Atlantic archipelago, which were among the strictest in Europe. Previously, the procedure was only legal in exceptional cases, for example if the pregnant woman's life was at risk.
04.12.2025, 23:13
SDA
The reform, which was passed on Thursday with a majority of 17 votes to 16, means that abortions are now permitted beyond extreme cases.
The group Fritt Val (Free Choice), which had campaigned for a relaxation of the law, welcomed the parliament's decision. It has given Faroese women the right to "decide about their own bodies", the group explained on Instagram.
Previously, pregnant women on the autonomous archipelago, which belongs to Denmark and has a population of around 56,000, had been forced to seek abortion services in Denmark. This year, the legal time limit for abortions was extended from 12 to 18 weeks.
Prior to the relaxation, the Faroe Islands had one of the strictest abortion regulations in Europe. Only Andorra and the Vatican prohibit abortions in all cases. In Malta, they are only permitted if the woman's life is in danger or the unborn child has a small chance of surviving.
