Pedro Passos Coelho calls for changes to Portugal's abortion laws

Former Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho has called on political parties to amend Portugal’s abortion laws to reintroduce measures that were repealed in 2015. Speaking at a colloquium organized by the Federação Portuguesa pela Vida at the Assembly of the Republic, Passos Coelho advocated for the return of moderating fees for voluntary interruption of pregnancy (IVG), as well as mandatory consultations with psychologists and social workers.

Passos Coelho noted a 5% increase in abortions according to recent data from the Directorate-General for Health (DGS). He also highlighted a significant demographic shift, stating that the proportion of foreign women undergoing the procedure in Portugal rose from 15.6% in 2008 to 44.2% in 2025. He argued that the debate should focus on evaluating the application of the current law to mitigate its perceived harmful effects and improve support for maternity and paternity, rather than reopening discussions on decriminalization.