Interpellation concerning the state funding of elective abortions (No. 606)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session
Date: 2024-04-29 19:40
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 42
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 42m
AI Summaries: 42/42 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The agenda item was the interpellation concerning the state funding of elective abortions, submitted by Riigikogu members Varro Vooglaid, Siim Pohlak, and others. The submitter of the interpellation, Varro Vooglaid (pid: dSDfxfKs4Jw), sharply criticized the Government of the Republic, arguing that the state is failing to fulfill its constitutional obligation to protect the right to life of unborn children on an equal footing with other people. He emphasized that the state funds terminations of pregnancy without medical indication, which, in his assessment, is contrary to the principles of a state governed by the rule of law and Section 16 of the Constitution. Vooglaid pointed out that since 1956, more children have been killed in Estonia than there are current residents, and he demanded clarification on how the government justifies the funding of elective abortions and what steps will be taken to ensure the protection of the right to life of unborn human beings.
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas responded to the interpellation, stressing that the correct term is "voluntary termination of pregnancy" and that the government proceeds from the Constitution and laws that protect a woman's right to bodily integrity and free self-determination. Kallas referred to the positions of the Chancellor of Justice, according to which a woman's freedom would be infringed upon if she were forced to carry the pregnancy to term. She explained that the limit for the fetus's right to life is set at the 22nd week of pregnancy, when the fetus becomes viable outside the womb. Kallas defended the state funding, highlighting the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, which mandate ensuring safe termination of pregnancy services to prevent illegal and dangerous abortions (referencing the example of Romania). She stressed that raising awareness of family planning and sexual education is more effective in reducing the number of abortions than prohibiting the services. The debate was emotional, with opposition politicians (Jaak Valge, Martin Helme, Mart Helme) accusing the government of being hostile towards children and families and of deepening the demographic crisis.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made
Most Active Speaker
Varro Vooglaid (pid: dSDfxfKs4Jw) was the submitter of the official inquiry and the most active speaker, repeatedly and thoroughly presenting his views on protecting the right to life of unborn children and the immorality of state funding for abortions. His position is right-conservative (pro-life).
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The topic of today's third agenda item is an interpellation regarding the state funding of elective abortions, and the rapporteur will be Riigikogu member Varro Vooglaiu.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid asserts that the prenatal right to life is not protected equally among all people in Estonia, and he calls upon the government and the general public to guarantee the right to life for unborn children and to provide clear responses and plans for its defense.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Speaker, Lauri Hussar, offered his thanks and requested that Prime Minister Kaja Kallas be called to the Riigikogu rostrum to respond to the interpellation.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kallas emphasized that the Estonian constitution and laws protect a woman's bodily integrity and right to self-determination. Abortion is regulated to be available both on request and on medical indication, and it is state-organized and funded in accordance with WHO guidelines. Furthermore, emphasis was placed on counseling, family planning, and sexual education, through which the number of pregnancies and abortions has significantly decreased.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanks the Prime Minister and notes that there are still several questions remaining, before inviting Rain Epler to take the floor.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler criticizes Kaja Kallas, accusing her of lying before the elections, claiming that her worldview is broken, and calling Kallas the worst prime minister in Estonia.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
That means our next performer is Jaak Valge.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaak Valge stated that the number of abortions decreased annually between 1996 and 2021, but the 2022 data revealed an extraordinary rise; the abortion rate per 100 live births increased from 24.9 to 29.1 (17%). He then asked the Prime Minister if she was aware of this, and what the plans were concerning the underlying causes and the government's proposed measures to halt the trend.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas refutes the claim that the Estonian nation is dying out, stating that although the number of abortions and the birth rate are changing, this does not signify demographic extinction. She maintains that the nation will persist because an independent state structure and a developed language protect it, a point highlighted by Ene-Margit Tiit's study.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Speaker Lauri Hussar invited Martin Helme to take the floor.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme accuses the government of being the most anti-family and anti-child in Estonian history, claiming that reducing abortions could alleviate the demographic crisis by up to a third and increase the number of births. He emphasizes that the state should be doing everything necessary to ensure every child can be born, rather than legalizing same-sex marriage.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kallas emphasizes that restricting women's rights or mandatory childbirth is not the right solution. She points to scientific research, specifically studies conducted in Romania, where banning abortions did not increase the birth rate; rather, it increased women's mortality and the risk of injuries. Furthermore, Estonia has taken steps to reduce the number of abortions by promoting the use of contraceptives and ensuring access to safe care.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman invited Varro Vooglaid to speak.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid asks if the right to be killed before birth is a human right, stressing that human rights should protect people from violence. He also questions how the constitutional protection of the right to life for unborn children can be reconciled with the state funding of abortions that lack a medical indication.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kallas emphasizes that this is not her personal position, but rather the Supreme Court and the Chancellor of Justice have stated that the right to life is connected to the 22nd week of pregnancy. Consequently, abortion is not permitted from that point onward, but before the 22nd week, the fetus is not viable, and women have the right to decide about their own bodies.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi requests Kalle Grünthal to come.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal called Kaja Kallas a genius, claiming that she has completely destroyed the economy of one country, and suggested that she could step down for 10 million dollars.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
This inquiry doesn't concern me personally; the question was about the funding of abortions, and that is absolutely none of my business.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The presiding officer of the session noted that the question was not related to the interpellation and that excessive restrictions were not being applied, and called upon Arvo Aller.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller highlighted the increase in the number of abortions in his interpellation, emphasizing that these figures must be compared with the number of live births. He also inquired about state information campaigns and educational programs aimed at young people, and affirmed that he had not called for mandatory childbirth.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said that we have various family planning programs and counseling centers where young people can receive information about contraceptives. Furthermore, women are offered crisis counseling and psychological counseling when applying for an abortion, all aimed at reducing the number of abortions. She added that it is a pleasure to note that this number has decreased.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Speaker Toomas Kivimägi invited Helle-Moonika Helme to speak.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme is asking whether reducing the number of abortions from the latest figure of 3,200 is actually a significant amount or merely good enough, and what size—large or small—that number would need to be to declare the situation exceptionally good, and how many children being killed is acceptable in her view.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas emphasized that a woman's bodily integrity and the freedom to choose whether or not to be pregnant are protected fundamental rights, and the decision to have an abortion rests solely with the woman herself. The state does not decide who should undergo an abortion, and while the government funds counseling programs aimed at reducing the number of abortions, achieving a zero abortion rate is impossible in any country—even those nations that have banned abortions have failed to reach that zero mark.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
In the speech, there is a request to invite Mart Helme to speak.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme says that not all the questions asked in the chamber were relevant, and when he was standing at the podium, some members of the Reform Party asked him only one question: "Aren't you ashamed?"
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Kaja Kallas stresses that the issue is highly relevant.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme claims that the Children's Ombudsman, in their capacity as Chancellor of Justice, should advocate for the birth of all children, and that the state should use all means to alleviate the demographic crisis, including ending state funding for abortions.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
This is a thank you to a good colleague.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said that banning abortions does not reduce the number of births, but rather increases the mortality risk for women. She cited the Chancellor of Justice's appeal regarding abortions for those under 18 and emphasized that counseling, family planning education, and sexual education in schools are necessary to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi addresses Anti Poolamets and asks him.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets is asking whether the Prime Minister was using hyperbole or was serious about mandatory childbirth for women, what that would mean in practice, and how exactly they would be forced to give birth.
Peaminister Kaja Kallas
AI Summary
Kaja Kallas said that people know this better and can only comment on their own thoughts themselves.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi announced that questions must be asked strictly on the topic of the interpellation, promised not to interrupt or offer any personal assessments, and then opened the debate, asking that Karmen Jolleri be called to the Riigikogu podium first.
Karmen Joller
AI Summary
Karmen Joller argues that Poland’s strict 2020 abortion laws, when compared with Estonian statistics, do not reduce the number of abortions. Instead, they increase the risk of death for women and children and lead to the use of illegal methods, while Estonia’s indicators are significantly better.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Vice-Chairman thanks [the previous speaker] and asks Varro Vooglaid to continue.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid asserts that Estonia does not adequately protect the equal right to life for all people, and that laws must be enacted to guarantee this equal right to life. He emphasizes that the fetus is a human being and that human rights apply regardless of the stage of development, citing 2022 statistics, according to which over 3,000 children were killed in Estonia before birth with the involvement of hospital doctors.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He is asking for three more minutes.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid is asking the Prime Minister how the constitutional right to life applies to unborn children and why the state simultaneously funds abortions, while also calling upon the state to seriously commit to protecting human rights and the life of every individual.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi offers his thanks and invites Mart Helme to speak from the floor.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme argues that abortion is not solely a question concerning a woman's body, because there is another life within that body, and that taking the claim "I decide" to its absolute conclusion leads to a situation where we would start paying for suicides and drug addicts—a prospect he deems absurd, and he asks that such an argument not be presented.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi thanked the participants, declared the discussions concluded, and terminated the proceedings on this agenda item.