Leo van Doesburg

How can a country, that refused abortion three times by referendums, be pressured to legalize it in the name of a Convention which does not enshrine a right to abortion? In Europe, Ireland is a symbol of resistance against abortion.  Nevertheless, Ireland is on the point of giving in to the concerted pressure of the Council of Europe and the pro-abortion lobbies. Irish people have always been firmly opposed to abortion.   Since the 1980s, they have rejected the legalization of abortion three times, while affording equal constitutional protection to the life of the unborn child and that of the mother.  Abortion is therefore always prohibited, except when doctors consider it necessary to save the life of the mother .   However, the Council of Europe is at the heart of a campaign aiming to impose abortion ‘from the top’ onto people who refused it ‘from the bottom’ three times, by referendums in 1983, 1992 and 2002. (Article by: G régor Puppinck. P...

Last Saturday, 19 January, over 25,000 people participated to a pro-life rally that was organized in Dublin. The Vigil For Life event was called to highlight opposition t o a change on abortion legislation as the Irish government considers reform. It is encouraging to see how professionally and well this rally has been organized. Also a counter demonstration of pro-choice activi sts was organized on the same date where just around 200 pe ople participated.   Read here an article from the Irish Central See here a small movieclip about the Rally

Today the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) gave its verdict on four vital Christian freedom cases. See more information about the cases in a previous post on my blog here . This Section’s ruling gives a free licence to discriminate Christians at workplace by submitting them to “obsessive political correctness”. Therefore there is a serious concern about the protection of freedom of conscience & religion in the future. Unfortunately this is again an example about the seemingly increasing concern for Religious Freedoms and the growing intolerance against Christians in Europe, which we analyzed here this week.  Please find below an analysis of Grégor Puppinck, PhD, Director of the European Center of Law and Justice about the case and the verdict today

Hundreds of thousands of people have participated in the massive demonstrations that took place in Paris yesterday against the legalization of same-sex marriage & adoption. Organizers of the manifestation have estimated that around 800.000 people were gathered to ask for the withdrawal of the draft bill and the initiation of a open public debate on the issue. In spite of this demonstration being considered one of the largest in years, however, the French government refuses to take protesters' requests into consideration, has no intention of organizing a referendum and is determined to go ahead with marriage reform in spite of massive opposition. More about the background of the demonstrations you find here --

Increasing international concern has been voiced throughout the last few years regarding the growing religious discrimination against Christians within EU borders and beyond. A few cases from the UK, however, have become the center of attention as their appeal against the UK government has reached the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) . P lease find below an analysis about the increasing international concern for religious freedoms an d the growing in tolerance in Europe . This article is made by my colleage Eunice Vatran-Dugulescu

A law proposal on “marriage for all” (mariage pour tous) is due to go before Parliament for debate by the end of this month. The legalization of gay marriage was a campaign promise by socialist President François Hollande .   However this proposal seems not to have the approval of the majority of the French population. Only in the last three months, 100,000s of people from all across France have participated in several unprecedented manifestations to oppose this bill with determin ation, bec ause t h is proposed law would mean a profound change of the nature of Marriage, Ad option and Filiation and has been promoted as "creating access to parenthood for same sex couples through the "mechanism" of adoption. On the 13th of January the first national massive demo nstration will take place in Paris, where (a ccording to the French media) several hundred thousands people are expected to be gather ed .   (article writ ten by Eunice Vatran , adapted by Leo va...

I ncreasing international concern has been voiced throughout the last few years regarding the growing religious discrimination against Christians within EU borders and beyond. ECPM has been closely following the developments in such instances and has actively participated in drawing attention to these issues. A few cases from the UK, however, have become the center of attention as their appeal against the UK government has reached the European Court of Human Rights.    Judgment in the cases of four UK Christians will be handed down at the ECHR in Strasbourg on Tuesday 15th January 2013 at 09:00 UK time (10:00 Central European Time).   Based on Update from the Christian Legal Center