A presidential bill aimed at radically liberalizing Argentina’s abortion law has been passed by the country’s lower house of Parliament.

There were 131 votes in favour, 117 against, and 6 deputies abstaining.

The bill will now go to the Senate, where the pro-life side expects to turn things around as it did in 2018.

Immediately after the vote, pro-life groups and Catholic bishops went to Twitter to protest the decision. Bishop Sergio Buenanueva of San Francisco wrote: “It’s clear that the worst of this 2020 is not COVID-19.”

On the eve of the vote the bill had been modified to try to secure a majority. The two major changes were allowing for institutional conscience objection, though private hospitals that refuse to provide abortions will have to “pay for expenses” a patient has to incur to get an abortion at another place. In addition, girls under 13 who want an abortion will need the consent of at least one of their parents, and those under 16 will need the “written consent” of an adult.