Emmanuel Macron has made a commitment to embed a woman’s right to abortion within the French constitution by the following year, propelled by recent abortion restrictions in other nations, leading France to ensure unequivocal protection of abortion rights. On Sunday, the French President announced that his government would present a draft to France’s highest administrative court in the upcoming week, with the goal of constitutionalizing abortion rights before the year’s end.
Macron declared on social media, “In 2024, the right of women to choose abortion will become irreversible.” This decision stems from Macron’s promise on International Women’s Day, March 8, viewed as a response to the revocation of federal abortion rights in the United States last year.
Despite opposition from right-wing parties contending that France’s abortion rights were not under threat, the resolution received strong support in the national assembly in November and was subsequently passed in the senate in February. The revision process for the French constitution is complex, necessitating a referendum or approval by at least three-fifths of both houses of parliament. To bypass a referendum, the government introduced its bill, allowing Macron to convene a special congress of both houses at the Palace of Versailles.
Abortion was legalized in France in 1975, with subsequent laws enacted to enhance abortion conditions, safeguarding women’s health and anonymity, and alleviating the financial burden associated with the procedure.
A survey conducted last year revealed that 89% of respondents desired enhanced constitutional protection for abortion rights. As the process nears completion, the Minister for Gender Equality, Bérangère Couillard, emphasized that “this victory is for all women and serves as a powerful symbol for other countries where our rights are facing setbacks.”
According to official statistics, 234,000 abortions were performed in France last year.
