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France makes abortion a constitutional right
France becomes the first country to explicitly include the right to terminate a pregnancy in its constitution.
www.bbc.co.uk
As France guarantees right to abortion, other EU countries look to expand access
France has become the only country to explicitly guarantee the right to abortion in its constitution and other Europeans wonder whether a rollback of rights like the 2022 US Supreme Court decision could happen in their countries
www.independent.co.uk
Parliament poised to decriminalise abortion in historic vote
MPs will vote on an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill in March, with most saying women should not be prosecuted if they end pregnancies beyond 24 weeks
www.thetimes.co.uk
France becomes the only country to explicitly guarantee abortion as a constitutional right
A woman’s right to an abortion will be enshrined in the French Constitution after lawmakers approved a bill during a historic session of parliament.
apnews.com
France
France has become the first country in the world to explicitly include the right to abortion in its constitution.
Parliamentarians voted to revise the country's 1958 constitution to enshrine women's 'guaranteed freedom' to abort.
The overwhelming 780-72 vote saw a standing ovation in the parliament in Versailles when the result was announced.
President Emmanuel Macron
described the move as 'French pride' that had sent a 'universal message'.
However anti-abortion groups have strongly criticised [Sic - Criticism is not necessarily negative.] the change, as has the Vatican.
Abortion has been legal in France since 1975, but polls show around 85% of the public supported amending the constitution to protect the right to end a pregnancy.
Following the vote, the Eiffel Tower in Paris was lit up in celebration, with the message: 'My Body My Choice'.
[Note the choice of language.]
But not all support it, with the Vatican repeating its opposition to abortion.
Stock Image
"There can be no 'right' to take a human life," the Vatican institution said in a statement, echoing concerns already raised by French Catholic bishops.
It 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'.
UK
MPs will vote on an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill in March, with most saying women should not be prosecuted if they end pregnancies beyond 24 weeks.
The majority of MPs say women should no longer be prosecuted if they end pregnancies beyond the 24-week legal time limit, The Times can reveal, with less [Sic - fewer] than one in four in favour of criminal action.
Women can be jailed under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act if they have an abortion outside set circumstances.
A landmark amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill, due to be voted on in the House of Commons in March, means the 1861 law would no longer apply to women ending their own pregnancies.
This has broad cross-party support:
The amendment would bring the law in England and Wales in line with Northern Ireland, where abortion was decriminalised in 2019.
Dame Diana Johnson,
the Labour MP putting forward the amendment, said treating abortion as a health rather than a criminal issue would mark a 'historic step forward' for women.
Six women have appeared in court in England charged with illegal abortions since December 2022. Before then, only three women had been convicted of an illegal abortion since the law was introduced in 1861.
Abortion was decriminalised in Northern Ireland in 2019. Other nations including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, France and the Netherlands have decriminalised abortion.
