Millions of women across the US could soon lose their legal right to abortion, according to a leaked Supreme Court document.
The document, published by Politico, suggests the top US court is in favour of overturning the Roe v Wade decision that legalised abortion nationwide.
If the Supreme Court strikes down the 1973 ruling, then abortion could be banned in almost half of US states.
Its justices are expected to issue a ruling in late June or early July.
The leaked document – labelled “1st Draft” – appears to reflect the majority opinion of the court, and Politico reported that it was written by Justice Samuel Alito and circulated within the court in February.
But it is unclear if it represents a final opinion, as justices have previously changed their views during the drafting process. The Supreme Court and the White House have not yet commented.
Its publication on Monday night sparked an immediate outcry from Democrats, as well as protests by both pro-choice and anti-abortion campaigners outside the court in Washington DC.
Leading Democratic politicians Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said jointly that if the report was accurate, the Supreme Court was “poised to inflict the greatest restriction of rights in the past 50 years”.
Meanwhile, anti-abortion groups such as the Susan B. Anthony List welcomed the news. “If Roe is indeed overturned, our job will be to build consensus for the strongest protections possible for unborn children,” it said.
Roe v Wade is in the court’s sights because Mississippi is asking for it to be overturned, and with it the legal right to an abortion. The justices heard that case in December.
If successful, abortion could become illegal in 22 states. Thirteen have passed so-called trigger laws which would automatically ban abortion if Roe is overruled.
BBC
