European Country Becomes First To Enshrine Abortion Into Its Constitution

France has become the first country in the world to enshrine abortion access into its constitution.

French lawmakers overwhelmingly passed legislation in a joint session of parliament to make abortion access a ‘constitutional right.’

The bill was approved in a 780-72 vote.

“France will be passing a law today to make killing babies in abortions a constitutional right. This is a sad day for the world as unborn children are treated like things instead of people. There is no right to kill babies in abortions,” LifeNews commented.

France will be passing a law today to make killing babies in abortions a constitutional right.

This is a sad day for the world as unborn children are treated like things instead of people.

There is no right to kill babies in abortions.

— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) March 4, 2024

France becomes the first country to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution, a move prompted by the US Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wadehttps://t.co/2zOEIshy91

— CNN (@CNN) March 4, 2024

From the Associated Press:

Abortion enjoys wide support in France across most of the political spectrum, and has been legal since 1975.

The vote makes France the first country to have a constitutional right to abortion since the former Yugoslavia inscribed it in its 1974 constitution. Serbia’s 2006 constitution carries on that spirit, stating that “everyone has the right to decide on childbirth.”

Nearly the entire hall in France stood in a long standing ovation, and many female legislators in the hall smiled broadly as they cheered. There were jubilant scenes of celebrations all over France as women’s rights activists hailed the measure promised by President Emmanuel Macron immediately following the Dobbs ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022.

Both houses of parliament, the National Assembly and the Senate, had already adopted a bill to amend Article 34 of the French Constitution to specify that “the law determines the conditions by which is exercised the freedom of women to have recourse to an abortion, which is guaranteed.”

In the lead up to the historic vote, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal addressed the 925 lawmakers gathered for the joint session in Versailles, and called on them to make France a leader in women’s rights and set an example in defense of women’s rights for countries around the world.

French parliament votes to enshrine the right to abortion in the constitution, becoming first country in the world to do so https://t.co/32963genqO

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) March 4, 2024

By embedding abortion rights in its constitution, France sets a grim precedent: prioritizing ending life over the unalienable right to life. This decision marks a profound departure from the sanctity of life principle.  #LifeIsARight https://t.co/S2pD8ILG2D

— 40 Days for Life (@40daysforlife) March 4, 2024

Per BBC:

It becomes the 25th amendment to modern France’s founding document, and the first since 2008.

Before the vote, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal told parliament that the right to abortion remained “in danger” and “at the mercy of decision makers”.

“We’re sending a message to all women: your body belongs to you and no one can decide for you,” he added.

While resistance from right-wingers in parliament failed to materialise, President Macron has been accused of using the constitution for electoral ends.

Critics say the revision is not necessarily wrong in itself, but unnecessary, and accused the president of trying to use the cause to boost his left-wing credentials.

In response, the Vatican reemphasized its opposition to abortion.

Vatican Tells France There's No “Right” to Kill Babies in Abortions https://t.co/20sBNozF7f pic.twitter.com/uP2lpIGCsb

— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) March 4, 2024

LifeNews reports:

But today the Vatican said there is no right to take away the right to life of human beings.

“The Pontifical Academy for Life recalls that in the era of universal human rights, there can be no ‘right’ to take a human life,” the Vatican’s pro-life office said in a statement.

The group appealed to “all governments and all religious traditions to do their best so that, in this phase of history, the protection of life becomes an absolute priority”.

“The particular life situations and difficult and tragic contexts of our time must be addressed on the basis of a law which seeks above all to protect the weakest and most vulnerable,” it added.