Monday, March 4, marked an important stage in France’s feminist struggle. On that day, a joint session of the two chambers of the French Parliament in Versailles incorporated voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion) into the constitution. On the eve of International Women’s Rights Day, women’s freedom to own their own bodies was officially written into the French constitution, and women’s freedom to have abortions will be protected by the constitution.
Many historians and women’s rights activists hailed it as a “historic” day. In fact, the word “historic” has been on people’s lips since the French Senate voted to adopt this constitutional amendment on Wednesday, February 28. The French Senate’s vote paves the way for a joint session of the two houses of France’s parliament to enshrine women’s freedom to have abortions in the constitution on Monday.
French characteristics
A related article in French newspaper Le Monde wrote that many historians and women’s rights activists in France believe that “the freedom of abortion is written into the constitution” which marks a new stage in the long history of women’s rights struggle. Bibia Pavard, a historian of the feminist movement, explained that the pro-life struggle occupies a unique position in France because it is “a main thread of the feminist movement” in France. Danielle Gaudry, a gynecologist who has been working on abortion and contraceptive freedom movements and the Planned Parenthood movement since 1971, also points out that “in France, the feminist movement has always been highly vigilant about actions that might undermine the right to abortion. “This is a French characteristic.
A related article in Le Monde also pointed out that the wording of the constitutional amendment passed by both houses of the French Parliament on Monday is: women’s “freedom” to have an abortion, not the “right to abortion” hoped for by feminist organizations. In other words, what is written into the constitution is It’s the “freedom” to have an abortion, not the “right to abortion,” which is the result of a compromise.
As a result, feminist activists will continue to mobilize to ensure that women who wish to have abortions have real access to abortions, which has been one of the central demands of the feminist movement in recent years.
A French women’s rights campaigner told Le Monde that “the next step is to include abortion in the Charter of Fundamental Rights” in order to protect this right at European level.
Important Moment for Democracy
French newspaper Le Monde also published an editorial on Monday. The editorial believes that the inclusion of abortion in the Constitution is an important moment for democracy.
The editorial said that including abortion in the constitution is also a positive sign for the democratic system, because it shows that the democratic system has successfully overcome political tensions.
The editorial writes that at a time when women’s rights to voluntary termination of pregnancy are being undermined in some countries around the world, especially in the United States, the joint meeting of the two chambers of the French Congress, held in Versailles on Monday, March 4, included voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion). Constitution, this is an important moment in the life of the country and a proud moment.
This is the first time President Macron has amended the constitution during his term, making France the first country to explicitly guarantee the freedom of abortion. At a time when abortion remains ostracized by some on the French right and far-right, and at a time when political life in France has continued to be highly tense since June 2022, elected representatives in both chambers of Congress overcame political tensions and passed The amendment enshrined women’s freedom of abortion into the Constitution. Le Monde’s editorial stated that this shows that although democracy is threatened from time to time, the democratic system is still functioning and functioning.
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