A new political conflict has erupted in the Madrid region of Spain. The regional authorities firmly oppose the central government’s demand to create a database of medical professionals who refuse to perform abortions for reasons of conscience. Meanwhile, a similar registry for those who opt out of euthanasia has existed there since 2021 and operates without issues.
Regional leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso and her team have labeled the idea of listing doctors unwilling to perform abortions as a ‘blacklist’ and believe it will lead to stigmatization of professionals. In response to calls from Madrid to ‘go elsewhere’ for abortion services, the opposition accused the authorities of hypocrisy and of trying to restrict women’s rights. PSOE lawmaker Lorena Morales insists that the refusal to create the registry is not merely a bureaucratic formality, but a political move that could affect women’s access to healthcare in the region.
At the end of last year, the central government sent letters to regional administrations reminding them of the legal requirement to set up such databases, as mandated by a law passed in 2023. Most autonomous communities agreed to comply, but Madrid took a fundamentally different position. The region’s Health Minister, Fátima Matute, initially expressed readiness to implement the law, but later changed her stance, calling the registry useless and even harmful.
The situation escalated after the opposition and members of other parties, including “Más Madrid,” pointed out that the registry is not intended as a means of punishment but rather to ensure that women have access to medical care. If the majority of doctors at a hospital refuse to perform abortions, patients may face real difficulties. The Madrid authorities have yet to explain why one registry (for euthanasia) does not trouble them, while the other elicits such a strong reaction. Meanwhile, the central government is using this conflict to highlight inconsistencies in the regional authorities’ policies and to increase pressure on Madrid’s leadership.
The issue of establishing a registry for doctors refusing to perform abortions remains unresolved. The opposition warns that if the region continues to disregard the law, it could lead to legal and political consequences. Public debate continues over the balance between doctors’ freedom of conscience and women’s right to access medical services.
