France is the first nation to constitutionally protect the right to an abortion

Paris: On Monday, March 4, France became the first country in the world to include the right to an abortion in its constitution. This occurred after the approval of an item by parliament that granted women the “guaranteed freedom” to seek the required medical care to end a pregnancy.

During a joint session of the lower and upper chambers of parliament convened at the Palace of Versailles, the proposal gained the three-fifths supermajority required by French MPs to adopt the change, with 780 votes in favor and 72 against.

Majority’s Approval
During the combined session, the majority of French MPs applauded loudly and gave standing ovations in support of the final permission needed to make the “right to abortion” official protection in the country’s constitution.

Abortion rights advocates gathered in central Paris after the vote to celebrate the outcome. They applauded as the Eiffel Tower lit up to mark the event and declared “My Body, My Choice.”

France has a greater acceptance rate of abortion rights than most other countries; according to recent studies, 80% of French people are in favor of the operation being made legal.

“Pride in France”
President Emmanuel Macron described the move as “French pride” and said it sends a “universal message.” Furthermore, he said that on March 8, International Women’s Day, there would be a special public celebration celebrating the move.

“The law determines the conditions in which a woman has the guaranteed freedom to have recourse to an abortion,” according to Article 34 of the French constitution.

Abortion Rights: An Essential First Step
Before the vote, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal made the statement, “We’re sending a message to all women: your body belongs to you and no one can decide for you,” in an attempt to persuade lawmakers to support the legislation. “A fundamental step… a step that will go down in history” is what this is.

The measure was already adopted by the Senate and the National Assembly. Interestingly, combined sessions are uncommon in France. The constitutional amendment meeting on Monday is the first since 2008.

Right-wing politician Marine Le Pen accused Macron of passing the bill in order to gain political points, despite the fact that the majority of French people firmly support the right to abortion.

Exaggerated by the Abortion Rights
“We will vote to include it in the Constitution because we have no problem with that,” Le Pen told reporters before to Monday’s vote. Still, she dismissed the notion as exaggerated, pointing out that “no one is putting the right to abortion at risk in France.”

In his address, the French prime minister spoke about how the global right to an abortion is still “in danger.” Referring to the rights reversals in the US, Hungary, and Poland, Attal said, “You can go from one thing to the opposite in one generation, one year, or one week.”

What Caused This Right To Be Included In The French Constitution?
But when the US Supreme Court voted in 2022 to overturn the Roe v. Wade ruling, which acknowledged a woman’s right to an abortion as a basic right, campaigners in France put pressure on French parliamentarians.

“The right to an abortion has decreased in the United States. Therefore, nothing allowed us to think that France was safe from this threat,” said Laura Slimani, a Fondation des Femmes rights worker, as quoted by Reuters.

Rallying against the Law
Abortion opponents gathered to denounce the move at Versailles, which is adjacent to the palace.

Pascale Moriniere, head of the Association of Catholic Families, reportedly said that pro-life advocates had suffered a defeat as a result of the ruling.

It’s unfortunate for ladies as well as, obviously, for all the children who won’t live to see the day, the woman said.