Andorra, a microstate nestled between France and Spain in the heart of the Pyrenees, attracts millions of tourists every year for winter sports or shopping trips for cheap alcohol and cigarettes. Its flourishing financial sector contributes to an image of a tax haven. But today, the principality is facing criticism. Its institutions date back to the Middle Ages and have evolved little since, especially when it comes to women's rights and abortion, which is illegal in Andorra. Our regional correspondents Laura Cambaud, Léa Caboche and Sarah Morris report.
Nestled in the heart of the Pyrenees, Andorra is an anachronism. It's been run by two co-princes since the Middle Ages: the president of the French Republic and the Bishop of Urgell in the Spanish region of Catalonia. Andorra's 80,000 residents have had the same institutions for the last 700 years.
Vanessa Mendoza Cortes has become a household name in Andorra. The 41-year-old risks being jailed for having complained to the United Nations about the ban on abortion in the principality. Her NGO Stop Violenciès helps hundreds of women. But none of them can publicly share their experiences for fear of prosecution. However, one woman did agree to speak to us anonymously in this report.
Most Andorran woman in need of an abortion head to Barcelona, a three-hour drive away, where a termination costs between €300 and €2,000.
