French President Promises Abortion Rights in the French Constitution by 2024

01-11-2023

Anouk Reilly 

Human Rights and Europe Researcher, 

Global Human Rights Defence 

The French President, Emmanuel Macron, has made a promise to protect the right to an abortion by making it a constitutional right by the coming year, writing on social media “In 2024, the right of women to choose abortion will become irreversible”. This promise follows a tweet from Macron on International Women’s Day in March, where he denounced the overturning of constitutional abortion rights in the United States and stated that France would “engrave in its Constitution the freedom of women to have recourse to abortion”. 

Across France’s political landscape, Macron and his government have been met with support regarding this issue. In November 2022, a resolution to enshrine abortion rights in the French constitution was tremendously supported by the French national assembly, despite the right-wing challenging this, contending that it is unnecessary as French abortion rights are not threatened. However, in an opinion poll conducted in 2022, 89 per cent of the participants agreed that abortion rights in France should become further safeguarded by the constitution. 

The right to an abortion became legalised in France in 1975, with this right becoming increasingly accessible to French citizens through the passing of numerous laws over the years. Bérangère Couillard, the French minister for gender equality, has commended Macron’s promise stating: “This is a victory for all women and a strong symbol sent to other countries of the world where our rights are losing ground”. With the infringement of abortion rights becoming increasingly visible in the world’s political sphere, France sends a clear message that French citizens will always have the freedom to choose. 

Sources and Further Reading:

Giuffrida. A et al. (2023), “Abortion rights will be in French constitution next year, Macron vows”. The Guardian. Retrieved on 01-11-2023 at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/29/emmanuel-macron-to-enshrine-womens-right-to-abortion-in-france 

Le Monde (2022), “French lawmakers pass resolution to enshrine abortion as constitutional right”. Le Monde. Retrieved on 04-11-2023 at: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2022/11/24/french-parliament-votes-to-enshrine-abortion-as-constitutional-right_6005502_7.html