Voters from Kansas (United States) voted this Tuesday in a referendum overwhelmingly in favor keep the right to abortion intact as is currently regulated in that state’s Constitution. The result of the popular consultation is a defeat for the Conservatives, who have tried to limit it.

According to the projections of the main American media, with 90% of the votes counted, over 60% of voters refused to change the state constitution to limit the right to abortion.

“Kansas voters went to the polls in record numbers to reject extremist efforts to amend the state’s Constitution it takes away from women the right to chooseThis was stated by US President Joe Biden in a statement.

“This vote clarifies what we already know: that the majority of Americans agree that women should have access to abortion and should have the right to make your own health decisions“, added the president.

Kansas was the first referendum held by a US state since the Supreme Court ruling overturned the “Roe v. Wade” ruling, and therefore eliminated the federal right to abortion and left the relevant legislation in the hands of each state.

The consultation, which was held in conjunction with the primary elections in Kansas this Tuesday, could have opened the door for the state government to legislate for limit the right to abortionwhich, however, will now remain legal until the 22nd week of gestation.

It was a particularly relevant referendum because it could have set a precedent for other states.

Despite having a Democratic governor, Laura Kelly, the state of Kansas has a strong Republican tradition and that party controls the offices of the Attorney General, Secretary of State and both chambers of the state legislature.

Moreover, even in the presidential elections Republicans dominate. In fact, Donald Trump was the preferred presidential candidate in the last two elections, with 56% of the vote.

Tuesday’s referendum was harshly criticized by civilian organizations, which denounced it the text of the question was not clear enoughwhich, they denounced, was an attempt to “misinform and confuse those who oppose abortion,” according to the organization Planned parenting.

In the event that the “yes” to the constitutional reform had been imposed, the state legislature would have been instructed to approve the laws on the procedure, which could have opted for a greater time limitation or derogations or for the total banit’s happening in other states.

Since the Supreme Court on June 24 – with a conservative majority of six judges against three progressives – put an end to the federal protection of the right to abortion (in force since 1973 thanks to the “Roe v. Wade” ruling), many women of states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri they went to Kansas to have an abortiongiven the restrictions imposed in their states.

On the same Tuesday, the United States Attorney General, Merrick Garlandannounced a lawsuit against the state of Idaho for considering its abortion law “criminalizes doctors” and prevents them from freely practicing termination of pregnancy when a woman’s health is at risk.

The Department of Justice is suing Idaho for violating the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, to try to protect doctors who need to intervene when abortion is “necessary medical treatment.” to stabilize a patient’s emergency medical condition.

This is the first action by the Department of Justice against a state since the Supreme Court ruling, and it will not be the only oneas Garland himself explained at a press conference.

The prosecutor specified that the working group on reproductive rights created following the decision of the country’s highest court is dedicating itself to evaluating “the changing landscape of state laws” and is already studying “additional litigation” against other states.

The idea is to “do everything possible to ensure continued legal access to reproductive services” in these “scary and uncertain times for pregnant women and its suppliers, “said US Deputy Attorney General Vanita Gupta.

The complaint in Idaho seeks to end the law of that state which would come into force on August 25 and imposes on doctors the burden of prove in court that you are not criminally responsibleafter being arrested and charged.

Other states, including California and Kentucky, will vote on the issue in November, at the same time as the Congressional midterm elections, which both Republicans and Democrats are hoping for. mobilize their supporters across the country around abortion.

Source: EFE.