The residence of the kings of France, and in peculiar its immense gathering room, trembled with loud applause erstwhile Members and Senators completed the examination of the historical change in the constitution, which was the consequence of a long political and feminist battle. The vast majority of deputies voted in favour of the changes: 780 votes in favour and only 72 against, mainly from the right and the far right. In total, 92 percent of parliamentarians voted – much more than 3/5 required to change the constitution.
"The Act sets out the conditions under which a female benefits from her guaranteed freedom to voluntarily discontinue pregnancy". This sentence, added to the 34th article of the Constitution, makes France the first country in the planet to enter abortion into a fundamental law, thus opposing the trend in many countries – including the US and east European countries – where abortion rights are increasingly restricted. "French pride, universal message" wrote on X Emmanuel Macron and invited the French to the symbolic ceremony of sealing the constitution.
This unique ritual, referring to medieval traditions, is to put a peculiar seal on highly crucial texts, e.g. in the case of changes in the constitution. The ceremony was held on 8 March, on global Women's Rights Day, and was open to the public. The announcement of the results of the vote by the president of the National Assembly of Yaël Braun-Pivet, the first female to hold this post, sparked an detonation of joy in both the gathering area and Trocadéro Square, other the Eiffel Tower, where hundreds of people gathered to watch the debate on the telebime.
#France makes abortion a constitutional right first in the planet . @amanpourhttps://t.co/y4UVNZC8AW
— Liliana Risovic (@RisovicLiliana) March 10, 2024
While many parliamentarians sang Female Hymn created by feminists in 1971 (another name is Rise women), The celebrated flashing lights were included on the Eiffel Tower and feminist slogans were displayed in respective languages, including #IVGConstitution (e.g. AbortionConstitution) and #MybodyMyChoice. There were large emotions in Versailles, too. Many parliamentarians have stressed that in the life of an authoritative there is seldom specified a historical vote, especially since it took place 50 years after the introduction of the celebrated Veil law in France (by the name of the prominent lawyer and politician, then Minister of Health), which depenalized abortion. 50 years later, Simone Veil's legacy is inactive alive.
– This fight goes to a large story, it happens very seldom – said Mathilde Panot of La France Insoumise, author of the draft law in her speech.
– No more angel factories, no more hangers, needles and no more fatalities. added Senator Ecologist Mélan Vogel.
– We will proceed to work for those who defy abortion opponents specified as Trump, Bolsonaro, Orbán, Putin, Giorgia Meloni – stressed Socialist Senator Laurence Rossignol.
This improvement was 1 of Emmanuel Macro's flagship social policy promises for his second term. The very wording inscribed in the Constitution, referring to guaranteed freedom to abortion, is the culmination of lengthy debates in parliament, and especially in the Senate, where part of the right was reluctant to idea. any of the people besides accepted these changes with outrage.
Opponents of abortion demonstrated in the afternoon in Versailles – over 500 people gathered called for the protection of life. The Vatican besides powerfully criticised the changes, stressing that there could be no right to destruct human life. Although the very fact that the church authorities have taken up the subject shows that the French initiative has been noticed in the world.
