France adds “freedom of abortion” to its constitution
“My Body My Choice” was presented on the Eiffel Tower after the referendum to add “freedom of abortion” to the constitution.
What: REUTERS
In France, Congress decided to enshrine the “freedom of abortion” in the constitution. With this plan, President Emmanuel Macron responded to the debates in the United States. Abortion advocates cheered after decision in Paris.
FFrance is the first country in the world to include “freedom of abortion” in its constitution. Representatives of both houses of parliament voted in favor of the corresponding constitutional amendment by a vote of 780 to 72 at the Palace of Versailles on Monday. The announcement of the result received a standing ovation.
Both Houses of Parliament, the National Assembly and the Senate have already separately approved the bill. Article 34 of the Constitution states that “women are guaranteed freedom to obtain an abortion”.
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal spoke of the “moral guilt” of all the women victims. “We are haunted by the suffering and memories of many women who have been unable to be free for decades,” she stressed, welcoming the “successful end of a long struggle”.
Members of the National Assembly and Senate applauded after the vote in Versailles
Which: AFP/BERTRAND GUAY
After the vote, supporters of constitutional change chanted in the square opposite the Eiffel Tower. Many watched the debate and voting on the big screen. The Eiffel Tower lit up in tribute. “Pride of France. Universal message,” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X.
Opponents of constitutional change gathered near the Congress at Versailles. The Catholic Church has made it clear that it continues to reject abortion. The Pontifical Academy for Life said, according to broadcaster BFMTV: “In the age of universal human rights, there can be no 'right' to destroy a human life.”
Inclusion in the Constitution is primarily symbolic. Abortion up to the tenth week of pregnancy has not been criminalized in France since 1975. Pregnant women in France can now have an abortion up to the 14th week, and their health insurance covers the costs. President Macron responded to the curtailment of abortion rights in the United States with an initiative to amend the constitution in 2022.
The constitutional amendment document was sealed with a state seal using a historic sealing press at Versailles. It will be ceremonially sealed again on International Women's Day on March 8.
. “Amateur alcohol specialist. Reader. Hardcore introvert. Freelance explorer.”