Professor Sjef Gevers:

There is a wide acceptance of the system we have. When the abortion Act was enacted in the 1980s it was a very narrow, tight vote. We were very happy that we achieved something in this field and that there was at least a minimum of consensus. I think it is fair to say that nowadays a large part of the population, a majority, are satisfied with the system we have. At the same time, it remains an issue of political debate and this is illustrated by the fact that the annual report of the health inspectorate, as we have previously mentioned, is debated in parliament every year. The same questions always come up about how the system is operating, whether it is in accordance with the intention of the legislation and so on. I have already spoken of the plans to have a second evaluation and a debate around what the main focus should be etc. There is continual debate and concern about how it works and how it should work. While it remains a controversial question, in practice we have a system that is widely accepted.