US Supreme Court Rules Against Women’s Abortion Rights

The US Supreme Court has overturned a 50-year-old ruling known as Roe v Wade that guaranteed nationwide abortion rights for women.

It says the Constitution “does not confer a right to abortion” and “the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives”

The decision means millions of women across the US will lose their legal right to abortion as individual states will be able to make their own laws on it.

US President Joe Biden says the ruling marks a sad day and puts the US on an extreme and dangerous path.

Half of US states are expected to introduce new restrictions or bans – 13 have laws in place that will take effect within weeks, the BBC said.

Large crowds of anti-abortion and pro-choice activists have gathered outside the court – President Biden urges protests to remain peaceful.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has celebrated today’s ruling, telling Fox News the Supreme Court is “following the constitution”.

“This brings everything back to the states where it has always belonged,” he said.

Though Trump is no longer in office, the overturning of Roe v Wade will be heralded by many supporters as the capstone of his legacy.

While serving as president, he nominated three Supreme Court justices to the bench – tipping the court’s ideological balance to a 6-3 conservative majority.

Today, all of the justices nominated by Trump – Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett – voted to overturn Roe and uphold Mississippi’s abortion ban.

Credit: BBC