Baudouin, the former king of the Belgians who was willing to do anything to stop abortion
Personal diaries and archives shed new light on the ethical and spiritual dilemmas faced by the former monarch in the years before his death, just as Belgium was preparing to legalize abortion.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
LETTER FROM THE BENELUX Queen Fabiola and King Baudouin of Belgium, in Brussels, October 1, 1983. AFP It was one of the most astonishing political sleights of hand of the 20th century, tinged with a dose of surrealism, and it played out in the Kingdom of Belgium. Yet, not all the details of this incredible episode, which took place in April 1990, were widely known: Baudouin (1930-1993), king of the Belgians, refused to sanction a law on abortion. This unprecedented act brought both the monarchy and the nation to the brink. In a country where the monarch "reigns but does not govern," Baudouin simply could not defy the will of a majority of lawmakers without consequence. After 20 years of debate, they had finally reached an agreement to legalize abortion.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Le Monde (EN).
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