Monarch refuses to give royal assent to abortion law under Monaco's constitution

In a rare intervention that underscores the enduring authority of Europe’s remaining absolute monarchs, Prince Albert II of Monaco has refused to sign a bill that would have legalised abortion in the principality, abruptly halting a reform passed by a large parliamentary majority. [ . . . ] The refusal amounts to a direct use of one of the most potent powers available to the Monegasque sovereign. Under the constitution, no bill can become law unless the Prince sanctions and promulgates it – a requirement that gives him an unambiguous veto over legislation. Such interventions are almost unheard of in modern European monarchies, which have long since rendered royal assent a formality.
Read the full article here: Royal Central