In a historic move highlighting the essential rights of women, France’s Senate united in support of a governmental proposal to enshrine the freedom to undergo abortion in the constitution. Despite facing opposition from certain conservative quarters, the upper house overwhelmingly backed the constitutional amendment, with a resounding vote count of 267 in favor and 50 against.
The next step for this measure is its scheduled vote at a special congress session slated for March 4.
President Emmanuel Macron has consistently advocated for women’s reproductive rights, including unfettered access to abortion. His political party, La Republique En Marche (LREM), has been a proponent of progressive social policies, with a particular focus on women’s rights issues. Abortion has been legally permitted in France since 1974, a provision that the country has upheld in its constitution.
Earlier this January, the National Assembly, comprising a coalition of Macron’s centrist allies and left-wing opposition, demonstrated overwhelming support for designating abortion as a “guaranteed freedom.”
President Macron hailed the Senate’s decisive action as a significant leap forward in affirming women’s rights.
“I am committed to ensuring the irreversibility of women’s freedom to choose abortion by enshrining it in the Constitution. Following the lead of the National Assembly, the Senate has taken a crucial step forward, a move that I wholeheartedly endorse. For the ultimate vote, I will convene Parliament in Congress on March 4,” Macron articulated on X.
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