Spotlight back on abortion in New Zealand after US Roe v Wade ruling

MPs spar over their stances, with opposition leader Christopher Luxon forced to manage the gulf between his personal views and National party policy

As the repeal of Roe v Wade rolls back women's abortion rights in the US, New Zealand politicians are facing fresh scrutiny of their own anti-abortion stances.

New Zealanders broadly support abortion rights, with Ipsos polling indicating 77% of the population supports a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy in some or any circumstances. In 2020, the country formally decriminalised abortion, allowing terminations at up to 20 weeks.