The Texas Governor Greg Abbott has implemented a controversial tightening of the electoral law in the US state.

The Republican politician signed the law passed by the regional parliament on Tuesday at a ceremony in the city of Tyler.

This was preceded by a bitter dispute with President Joe Biden's Democrats.

They see the law as an attempt to make voting more difficult for minorities such as African Americans - and thus tend to keep democratic voters away from the polls.

Abbott asserted when signing the text that the opposite was the case.

"It makes it easier for people to vote," said the party friend of ex-President Donald Trump about the law.

“No one who has the right to choose is deprived of the opportunity to choose.

But it makes it more difficult for cheaters to cast an illegal ballot paper. "

Postal voting restrictions

Among other things, the law prohibits so-called drive-thru voting - voting from the car - restricts the options for postal voting and shortens the opening times of polling stations.

Abbott and his Republicans describe the measures as necessary to prevent alleged electoral fraud.

The Democrats see this as an advanced argument and accuse the Republicans of trying to secure power through anti-democratic measures.

The Democrats, who are the minority in the Texas regional parliament, had tried in vain to stop the law by boycotting the vote.

In the meantime, 50 parliamentarians left Texas and traveled to Washington, so that the necessary quorum would not be met in parliament.

Ultimately, however, the text was approved.

Since last year's presidential election, in which Biden prevailed against Trump, Republicans have been pushing for changes to the electoral law in the states they rule.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, 18 states passed laws making voting difficult in the first half of 2021.

To this day, Trump spreads the conspiracy theory that he was only deprived of a second term through alleged electoral fraud.

Texas had recently caused a stir with another law: Last Wednesday, the country's strictest abortion law came into force.

It prohibits abortions from the moment the fetus's heartbeat can be determined, i.e. from about the sixth week of pregnancy.

Even in the case of rape or incest, the law does not provide for any exceptions.

There is also outrage that it is not the Texan authorities that are supposed to enforce the new regulations, but private individuals through civil lawsuits.

Biden and his Democrats were outraged by the law.