French Parliament Votes to Recognize Abortion as a Constitutional Right – Sky Bulletin

Following a concerted political effort, the French Parliament has recently made history by voting to enshrine the right to abortion in the country’s constitution. This landmark decision positions France as a unique example of abortion rights being explicitly protected at the constitutional level.

During a period of heightened awareness due to recent regressions in abortion rights internationally, notably in the United States, the French legislative move garnered enthusiastic applause from the attending members of parliament. The amendment was passed with a decisive vote of 780 in favor to 72 against, within the grand setting of the Palace of Versailles.

Legal since 1975 in France, the right to abortion enjoys broad support across a vast political array that spans from the left to the right of the ideological spectrum. The victorious outcome prompted celebratory reactions from various women’s rights advocates nationally, who recognized it as a fulfillment of a commitment made by President Emmanuel Macron following the Dobbs decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022.

Across Europe, the ripple effects of the U.S. judicial ruling have reignited debates on abortion rights. The political shift towards far-right parties in some regions has further accentuated the issue.

The French legislative process involved separate initial approvals by both the National Assembly and the Senate concerning an alteration of Article 34 of the French Constitution. However, a final affirmative vote by a super-majority in a special joint session was essential to confirm the amendment. The modified text now explicitly affirms that “the law determines the conditions by which is exercised the freedom of women to have recourse to an abortion, which is guaranteed.”

This French provision outstrips the Yugoslavian constitutional statement of 1974, which also addressed reproductive rights but in less defined terms. Since the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, its subsequent states have embraced similar constitutional provisions to permit abortions, though not as explicitly as France.

Leading up to the vote, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal urged the assembly in Versailles to take a stand on women’s rights that could serve as a beacon for the world. In his speech, he invoked the memory and achievements of Simone Veil, an influential health minister who played a pivotal role in decriminalizing abortion in France during the 1970s. Attal appealed to his fellow legislators to uphold this legacy and to affirm their commitment to women’s autonomy.

Major political forces, including Marine Le Pen’s National Rally and the Republicans, have not disputed the significance of the right to abortion. Meanwhile, public opinion polls in France consistently show high levels of support for the right to abortion.

Opposition to the legislative move was evident as around 200 anti-abortion demonstrators congregated in Versailles displaying messages of protest. Nonetheless, the response from those supporting the right to abortion was overwhelming as masses celebrated the vote’s success across France, notably at Trocadero Plaza in Paris.

Advocates like Sarah Durocher of the Family Planning movement and Anne-Cécile Mailfert of the Women’s Foundation viewed the vote as both a triumph for feminist causes and an affirmation of women’s rights in the future.

The justification for the bill highlighted growing concerns over threats to abortion rights, drawing particular attention to the overturning of a longstanding Supreme Court precedent in the U.S. in 2022.

In a context where opinions and political alignments can shift unpredictably, inscribing abortion rights into the French Constitution serves as a stronger safeguard against future challenges. However, as noted by legal experts, even constitutional rights are subject to political dynamics and may not be entirely invulnerable.

Addressing the gravity of protecting hard-earned rights, Yael Braun-Pivet, the inaugural female president of the French parliament, underscored that achievements can be fragile and must be vigilantly maintained. The complexity and rarity of constitutional amendments in France add weight to the significance of this legislative action. The final ceremonial inscription of the amendment is slated for International Women’s Day at Vendome Plaza in Paris.

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Reported contributions include insights from Barbara Surk in Nice, Michel Euler in Versailles, and Oleg Cetinic along with Angela Charlton in Paris.