JNS: France has made history by becoming the first country in the world to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution. In a special joint vote of the two houses of parliament, MPs and senators overwhelmingly backed the move, with 780 votes in favour and 72 against.
Abortion rights activists gathered in central Paris to celebrate the decision, cheering and applauding in front of the Eiffel Tower. They displayed the message “MyBodyMyChoice” as the result of the vote was announced on a giant screen.
Abortion rights enjoy broad support in France, with polls showing that around 80% of French people believe abortion should be legal. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal emphasised the importance of the decision, stating, “We’re sending a message to all women: your body belongs to you, and no one can decide for you.”
While the move was hailed as “historic” by women’s rights groups in the country, it was met with criticism from anti-abortion groups.
Notably, France has a long history of supporting abortion rights. The voluntary termination of pregnancy became legal in the country in 1975 with a law named after Simone Veil, the health minister who championed it. Initially, abortion was permitted up to the tenth week of pregnancy.
The law was later extended to the twelfth week in 2001 and then to the fourteenth week in 2022. Since the 1980s, the procedure has been covered by France’s national healthcare system.
