United States: Supreme Court reviews Louisiana abortion law

Text by: Marie Normand Follow

The highest American court must examine and decide whether or not this law respects the American Constitution. It must render its decision in June, that is to say a few months before the presidential election. An ultra-sensitive issue very followed by the voters of Donald Trump.

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Louisiana law, passed in 2014, requires doctors performing abortions to obtain a license to practice in a hospital located less than 50km from the site of the intervention. Concretely, and as there are already only three clinics in this conservative southern state, it will be even more difficult for these establishments to recruit doctors. Especially since the candidates are constantly receiving pressure and threats from anti-abortion activists.

The State of Louisiana maintains that it is a way of better protecting women, because ensuring the link between these doctors and a hospital would also be ensuring that they can admit their patients there in the event of complications.

" A sneaky way to roll back women's rights "

But according to the editorial committee of the New York Times , if the Supreme Court were to judge this constitutional law, it would be " a sneaky way of rolling back the rights of women ", without attracting the wrath of the progressives by completely calling into question the judgment Roe against Wade, i.e. the text which authorizes abortion since 1973.

According to the newspaper " millions of American women would find themselves with a right that they cannot exercise - that is to say, no right at all ". In 2016, the Supreme Court rejected a similar law in Texas. But four years later, its composition is different. Donald Trump has placed two conservative judges there, known for their hostility to abortion.

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• United States
• Womens rights
• Donald trump