Pope’s “abortion doctors are assassins” is worth a diplomatic incident says Brussels Free University

The leader of the world’s Roman Catholics remains a strong opponent of abortion. During his recent visit to Belgium, the pope made a point of praising King Boudewijn for his opposition to the legalisation of abortion and refusal to sign new Belgian legislation.

According to Pope Francis, the king is said to have shown a great deal of courage in abdicating for a day when he was supposed to sign the first legislation legalising abortion in Belgium in 1990. Upon returning to the Vatican on Sunday, after his eventful visit to Belgium, Pope Francis said abortion is a form of murder: ‘A human being is killed. (...) Doctors who do that are - allow me to use that word - assassins.’

Many believe the pope’s words are unacceptable.  University VUB and its hospital UZ Brussel are asking the Belgian government to hold the papal nuncio in Belgium - the Vatican's diplomatic representative here - Monsignor Franco Coppola, to account.

According to VUB Rector Jan Danckaert, the pope's statement ‘not only insults the doctors who perform abortions, but also Belgium and its people’. ‘A head of state going against democratic laws with such perfidious statements is definitely worthy of a diplomatic incident,’ he said. According to Danckaert, Pope Francis is also inciting the spread of hatred.

Moreover, after the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Belgian parliament, voted to extend the deadline till which abortion can be performed, Rector Danckaert spoke of ‘a scientific consensus in our country’ on abortion.