Historic! Abortion Is Now A Constitutional Right In France

In a historic move heavily criticized by anti-abortion groups, France became the world's first nation to enshrine the right to abortion in its constitution.

The move was supported by senators and MPs in a special joint vote of the two houses of parliament, with 780 votes in favour against 72.

Photo Credit: X/ @ReallyAmerican1

France Makes History

Monday's vote resulted in the enshrinement of Article 34 of the French constitution, which states that "the law determines the conditions in which a woman has the guaranteed freedom to have recourse to an abortion." Ahead of the vote, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal conveyed to media persons, "We're sending a message to all women: your body belongs to you and no one can decide for you."

Abortion has been legal in France since a 1974 law, which faced criticism at the time. However, the US Supreme Court's 2022 decision to reverse the Roe v. Wade ruling prompted activists to push for France to explicitly protect the right in its basic law. Abortion rights activists in central Paris cheered and applauded as the Eiffel Tower displayed the message "MyBodyMyChoice" upon the announcement of the vote's result on a giant screen, as reported by Reuters.

Laura Slimani, from the Fondation des Femmes rights group, expressed, "This right (to abortion) has retreated in the United States. And so nothing authorized us to think that France was exempt from this risk. There's a lot of emotion, as a feminist activist, also as a woman."

Yael Braun-Pivet, the head of the lower house of parliament from French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party, remarked, "France is at the forefront." Far-right leader Marine Le Pen accused Macron of using the move to score political points, given the widespread support for the right to abortion in the country, as reported by The Mint citing Reuters.

Pascale Moriniere, the president of the Association of Catholic Families, characterized the move as a defeat for anti-abortion campaigners. "It's (also) a defeat for women," she said, "and, of course, for all the children who cannot see the day."