France Urges European Union to Legalize 'Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy'

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, on Friday, March 8, coinciding with International Women's Day, called on the European Union to guarantee the right to abortion (voluntary termination of pregnancy) in its Charter of Fundamental Rights. Members of the French Senate and National Assembly voted on March 5 with 780 votes in favor and 72 against to guarantee the freedom to 'terminate a pregnancy and have an abortion' in the constitution of the country. This law now prohibits any government from changing this legal provision. According to Reuters, polls indicate that about 80% of the French support the legality of abortion. In this context, Emmanuel Macron urged other EU members to join this law. In his speech on International Women's Day, while supporting this law, he stated: 'Today is not the end of the story, but the beginning of a fight,' and referred to France as the leader of this law in Europe, adding: 'We will lead this struggle on our continent, where reactionary forces attack women's rights before attacking minority rights.' Changing the EU Charter, which requires unanimous votes from its members, may be difficult. While most European countries have legalized abortion (voluntary termination of pregnancy), some countries impose restrictions on women in this regard, and deep divisions remain on this issue. Last year, the government of Malta, an EU member, passed an abortion bill conditional only on 'the risk to the mother's life.' Poland's anti-abortion laws are among the most restrictive in Europe. Under these laws, abortion is only permitted if the mother's life or health is threatened or in cases of rape. This law led to a decrease in the number of abortions from at least 1,000 cases in 2020 to 161 cases in 2022. In response to a controversial ruling in Alabama, Democrats are mobilizing to protect access to laboratory-assisted reproductive methods, while the Attorney General has called for a 'crackdown' on abortion.