Central Europe’s Religious Right Emboldened by America’s Turn on Abortion

With the recent restriction of abortion rights in Hungary rhyming with the drawback of reproductive rights in the US, is it just coincidence or inspiration from one right-wing party with the other?

The recent attacks on self-governance and human rights by far-right governments and courts across the West should be a clarion call for the domestic populations, and there have been many positive signs that this is manifesting.

However, last week Republican Senator Lindsey Graham tabled legislation for a national ban on abortion in the United States, and on the same day, Vitor Orbán’s government also brought forward an amendment – a so-called ‘heartbeat bill’ – which women’s rights campaigners argue will only torment women in Hungary further. While it is particularly odd that the cross-national, seemingly-unrelated movements are in such lockstep, it also points to the fact that right-wing politicians think they can continue to push for these restrictive policies regardless of public opinion, and they may be right.