Conservative US Federal Supreme Court Rekindles Abortion Rights Controversy

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The conservative-leaning United States Supreme Court has indicated its intention to overturn the landmark 'Roe v. Wade' ruling that guaranteed women's abortion rights, reigniting abortion debates across the country.

In the U.S., positions on abortion have long served as a critical dividing line between progressives and conservatives, drawing intense attention to the Supreme Court's final decision expected around June next year.

On the 1st (local time), according to major U.S. media outlets including The Washington Post (WP) and The New York Times (NYT), the Supreme Court held oral arguments regarding a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Mississippi narrowed the abortion eligibility to 15 weeks of pregnancy, arguing that "access to contraception is easier now than during the Roe v. Wade era."

Roe v. Wade is a landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that established women's right to abortion up to the last three months before birth.

Mississippi's position is that, given today's availability of contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancies, restricting abortion rights to 15 weeks of pregnancy is not problematic.

In response, the federal government argued, "Abortion rights are a fundamental right affecting many Americans, and the Supreme Court has never abolished such rights."

They warned, "The repercussions of overturning Roe v. Wade would be severe and swift," adding, "It would unprecedentedly curtail individual rights."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Attention on this day was focused on the conservative-leaning justices. Among the nine Supreme Court justices, six are classified as conservative. Former President Donald Trump pledged to overturn Roe v. Wade and filled three vacancies on the Supreme Court during his tenure with conservative appointees, reshaping the court into a 6-3 conservative majority.

WP noted, "During the arguments, none of the six conservative justices expressed support for the Roe v. Wade ruling, highlighting that women's abortion rights are at a critical crossroads."

NYT also assessed after the arguments that the Supreme Court appears open to upholding Mississippi's abortion restriction law.

However, it was added that the six conservative justices seemed divided on whether to fully overturn Roe v. Wade or to limit abortion to 15 weeks of pregnancy.

The three progressive justices warned that overturning the half-century-old Roe v. Wade ruling would deal a fatal blow to the Supreme Court's reputation.

President Joe Biden reaffirmed his support for Roe v. Wade on the day, bolstering the progressive camp. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat, also backed the position, stating that the Supreme Court has a responsibility to protect women's constitutional rights.

The Supreme Court's ruling is expected around late June or early July next year. NYT reported that if Roe v. Wade is overturned, most abortions would become illegal in at least 20 states.

Outside the Supreme Court building that day, protests both supporting and opposing women's abortion rights were lively. U.S. media also showed great interest by reporting key points of the arguments in real time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.