In a Q&A session in the parliament, the German Chancellor stressed that “it is unacceptable when men buy women. That has always outraged me morally”.

In neither country is surrogacy regulated by law, but the Dutch and Swedish governments support “altruistic surrogacy”.

Any person with Down's syndrome has the right to laugh, to cry, to feel love and suffer heartbreak, to enjoy sunsets, to work, to serve others. God, forgive us for being so selfish, cruel and hypocritical.

The ruling of the Constitutional Court came during an extraordinary session marked by a pro-life rally under the motto “the silence of the innocents”.

A report compares suicide rates in countries where euthanasia is legal, with those where it is not. “Legalizing euthanasia will not help prevent suicide”, it says.

Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland plan to legalise its recreational use soon. Italy will hold a public referendum, while Spanish and Portuguese political parties are deciding their positions.