Spain's justice minister has resigned over a failed bid to restrict women's right to abortion, which had sparked mass protests and international condemnation.
The reform claimed the first scalp in Spain's conservative government since it took power in 2011: Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon, 55, a top member of the ruling Popular Party (PP).
The new law would have ended a woman's right to freely opt for an abortion up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, standard in much of Europe.
Although Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government has survived protests over corruption scandals and economic cuts, the abortion reform proved too divisive to wrap up.
Rajoy told reporters on Tuesday his government would drop the most contentious proposals.
"We will continue studying ways to obtain greater acceptance of the reform, but I think I have taken the most sensible decision at this time," Rajoy said.
"We cannot have a law that will be changed in a minute as soon as another government comes along."
Hours later Ruiz-Gallardon announced he was resigning.
"I have decided not only to leave the justice ministry but also to give up politics after 30 years," he told a news conference.
Ruiz-Gallardon left his post as mayor of Madrid to join Rajoy's government in 2011. He had previously been seen as a relatively progressive figure in the PP, but shifted to a more conservative stance as justice minister.
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