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LISBON, Portugal, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Portuguese voters have called for the liberalization of the country's strict abortion laws, Diario de Noticias reported Monday. In the national referendum, nearly 60 percent of voters said they were in favor of legalizing abortions in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. The referendum also asked if voters thought women ending pregnancies could seek medical support from Portugal's state-run health system. The referendum was not considered valid, however, since less than 50 percent of eligible voters turned out at the polls. According to officials, just 44 percent of voters cast their ballots. |