(Image via BBC)
Staff Writer: Gwen Pichette
Email: gpichette@umassd.edu
History was made on Monday, March 4th, as France became the first country ever to grant the right to abortion in its constitution explicitly.
The vote was overwhelmingly in favor of abortion, with the houses in Parliament voting 780 to 72, easily sweeping the three-fifths majority that is necessary for altering the French constitution. Many right-winged lawmakers even supported it.
As lawmakers in the Palace of Versailles announced the historic news, cheers erupted from women’s rights activists gathered together outside in central Paris, all while the Eiffel Tower projected the words “Mon corps mon choix”- “My Body My Choice.”
Impassioned by the monumental decision, marches and fiery protests for universal abortion rights began moments after.
This ruling comes nearly two years after the landmark case of Roe v. Wade—the Supreme Court case that granted women in America access to abortion—was overturned, leaving it up to individual states in America to either ban or allow abortion.
This is no coincidence.
While most European countries like France have legalized abortion rights, the right has never been formally put into the constitution as a guaranteed protection until now. France’s move has proven to be entirely intentional, an act of solidarity, the “measure demonstrat[ing] France’s unwavering support for reproductive rights at a time when abortion rights are under attack in the US.”
Many claim that putting abortion in France’s constitution is entirely unnecessary. This claim is not because they necessarily oppose the right but because of how accessible abortion already is in France.
One such person was 62-year-old Camille Galy, who was on the streets of Paris when the law was passed. She called the whole thing “a political stunt,” claiming that “abortion is in no way under threat in France” and it could’ve been left alone.
Others disagree, such as fifty-year-old Corinne Bosser claiming that it was necessary for abortion to be a constitutional right, as it would have otherwise remained vulnerable to change like it was in America: “The right to an abortion could come under threat one day, we don’t know,” she says. “This is a way to guarantee that our daughters and granddaughters will have the same rights we have.”
Despite this divide, the fact remains that the right to abortion is now formally enshrined in the Constitution and is no longer at risk.
Despite this victory, the history of women’s reproductive rights in France has certainly had a bumpy road.
In 1920, ironically, the same year women in the US were granted the right to vote, abortion and contraception were outlawed under the French regime, and during WW2 was considered to be “a crime against the state, punishable by the death penalty.”
Protests and movements for free and legal abortions continued through the 1950s before contraception was finally legalized in 1967 with the passing of the Neurwith Law.
Abortion was legalized only eight years later, in 1975, amidst violent protests.
France was overwhelmingly conservative at the time of the law’s passing, which sparked division and a backlash against it.
The former health minister, president of the French Parliament, and women’s rights activist Simone Veil, who helped push for the law to be passed, even suffered from a personal attack in opposition to abortion rights.
Similar criticism exists today from the most recent law passed, most notably from the Vatican, who staunchly oppose the legislation and what it stands for.
In a formal statement, the Vatican claimed “there can be no ‘right’ to take a human life.” Instead, they appealed to the idea that “all governments and all religious traditions [should do] their best so that, in this phase of history, the protection of life becomes an absolute priority.”
This opposition echoes the same divide that has been brewing in America for decades, where religion often comes into play in the issue of abortion.
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, urged other countries to follow suit and even dared to take abortion rights one step further.
Despite the sure pushback that would come from neighboring conservative countries, Macron proposed that the right to abortion be put in Europe’s national charter. His proposal was met with genuine cheers from the crowd.
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal shared a notable message on Monday in support of the legislation:
“Above all, we’re sending a message to all women: your body belongs to you,” Attal said.
A formal ceremony was held in celebration of the legislation on March 8th—International Women’s Day, solidifying that France’s legalization of abortion is not merely massive for women in France but for the possibilities it promises for women everywhere.
All eyes turn on America, as many wonder if France’s outward stance on abortion will spark conversation and prompt lawmakers to take action against the tightening abortion restrictions in the U.S.