Abstract
Having debated the rights of sexual minorities for two decades, the question of abortion is increasingly emerging as a new fault line in Faroese politics. In spring of 2024, the Faroese Parliament rejected the legalisation of free abortion by the slimmest margin possible, and civil society NGOs are spearheading “pro-choice” and “pro-life” campaigns. But how does the Faroese voter relate to the question? Who supports and who opposes the legalisation of free abortion before week twelve? On the basis of a quantitative survey conducted in November 2022, this article examines public opinion on abortion legislation and what demographic and personal factors predict abortion attitudes. While it is not possible to present conclusive evidence on the basis of one single study, the findings indicate that the Faroese public is divided on the issue. Furthermore, there is a positive correlation between pro-life attitudes and the importance of religion as well as right-wing attitudes, while centre-periphery tensions are also visible. However, and in contrast with international surveys in the cross-national literature on abortion and public opinion, the survey finds no difference between men and women, and educational level does not predict abortion attitudes either. Finally, when examining the role of age, the generation between 30-44 years proves most likely to oppose the legalisation of abortion on demand.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 151-177 |
| Number of pages | 26 |
| Journal | Fróðskaparrit - Faroese Scientific Journal |
| Volume | 70 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2024 |
Keywords
- Abortion
- Demography
- Public opinion
- Ideology
- Religion
- Secularisation