FRANCE BECOMES FIRST COUNTRY TO ADDS ABORTION RIGHTS TO ITS CONSTITUTION

Tue 05 March 2024:

French legislators on Monday voted to explicitly enshrine access to abortion in the Constitution, making their country the first in the world to do so.

At total of 780 deputies and senators approved the introduction into Article 34 of the Constitution the sentence: “The law determines the conditions under which the freedom guaranteed to women to have recourse to a voluntary termination of pregnancy is exercised.” Only 72 voted against.

“We are sending the message to all women: Your body belongs to you and no one has the right to control it in your stead,” Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said, before the gathered lawmakers voted 780-72 for the amendment.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Versailles under the banner of the association March for Life, near the site where the vote was held, describing the day as “a day of mourning.”

They also accused the government of evading its responsibilities towards pregnant women, especially young ones, to facilitate their pregnancies and provide healthy conditions conducive to childbirth.

Four days before March 8, International Women’s Day, the special session completed a long political battle initiated by the left, and finally adopted by the government after several parliamentary initiatives.

This day, hailed as historic by supporters of the measure, comes in the runup to the 50th anniversary of 1975 legislation that legalized abortion in France.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal hailed “a step which will go down in history,” saying: “France is faithful to its heritage … (as a) homeland of human rights and above all women’s rights.”

President Emmanuel Macron praised the final decision on X, calling it an act of “French pride,” and also announcing that a ceremony to seal the constitutional change will take place on March 8.

The Vatican and the French Conference of Bishops opposed the amendment, as did anti-abortion activist groups. But in France, a country where calls to protest regularly bring hundreds of thousands to the streets, opposition was notably scarce.