Enshrining the right to abortion into the French Constitution could be one of the first measures to garner a majority of votes in a fragmented Assemblée Nationale. Aurore Bergé, the head of the Renaissance parliament group (ex-La République en marche!) announced on Saturday, June 25, the introduction of a bill to enshrine "respect for abortion in our Constitution," after the historic decision of the US Supreme Court to revoke this right. A few hours earlier, Mathilde Panot, the head of the La France insoumise (LFI) parliament group, also announced that she would propose this measure "as early as Monday" to the left-wing alliance Nupes (New Popular Ecological and Social Union).
Beyond the United States, this decision is "catastrophic for women: in the world, you have a woman who dies every nine minutes because an abortion has been poorly performed, unsafe," said Aurore Bergé, the head of the Renaissance parliament group.
Read more US greeted by criticism from foreign leaders on abortion ban
"This also calls for us to take measures in France so that we cannot have tomorrow reversals that could exist. This is why, as of today, with my group we are going to file a constitutional bill to include respect for abortion in our Constitution," added Aurore Bergé.
She has strongly defended the extension of the legal time limit for abortion in France, voted at the end of the previous legislature.
RN's MPs, 'fierce opponents of women's right to abortion'
"Could the Supreme Court's decision lead to a similar measure in France? "Unfortunately, nothing is impossible and women's rights are always rights that are fragile and regularly challenged," replied Aurore Bergé.
Pointing to the new MPs of the National Rally (RN), "fierce opponents of women's right to abortion," she deemed that "we should not take any risks in this matter and therefore secure [the right to abortion], by writing it into the marble of our Constitution." "We do not change the Constitution as we change the law," therefore, "it is a guarantee that we must give to women," insisted the head of the Renaissance parliament group, who believes that the measure will be "widely shared on the benches of the Assemblée Nationale and the Senate."
La France insoumise in favor of a similar law
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On Friday evening on Twitter, Mathilde Panot, the head of the LFI parliament group, the majority link of the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupes), had also gone in this direction. "The tragedy across the Atlantic obliges us. To prevent any hindrance to the fundamental right that is abortion, I propose, from Monday, the Nupes to introduce a bill to enshrine it in the Constitution, "she wrote. The Nupes and Renaissance groups (without its majority allies) have 296 deputies, beyond the absolute majority (set at 289) to pass a bill.
The US decision has caused Emmanuel Macron to react, regretting the "challenge" to women's freedoms, stressing that "abortion is a fundamental right for all women." On Wednesday, the head of state urged the oppositions to "say in all transparency how far they are willing to go" in order to "build compromises, enrichments, amendments", in particular, "in a desire for unity and action for the nation."
nolok on June 25th, 2022 at 13:22 UTC »
If you're in a country where abortion is an issue: if you're pregnant, even if you're a teen, France will allow you to have an abortion, you won't have to pay shit, and they won't report it to any of your own country health service nor to your parents. If you request it, you will have absolute anonymity even if you're a teen. Here is the official website (in French ...) answering the most asked questions about it and were to find a place to do it. This is a *.gouv.fr website, meaning official from our government. Due to French law, if you are past 14 weeks, you will have to see a doctor first and give him a justification (instead of the no questions asked procedure before), unlike what I've read a lot these past few days this doesn't mean you can't abort past 14 weeks, only that a doctor visit is mandatory first and he must approve. Generally speaking if there is a medical reason, it will be accepted, otherwise it depends (situation, how advanced are you, ...). It's still free, and the people at the abortion center will help you.
This also applies if you're a teen and need the day after pill. Go into any pharmacy and ask for it. They cannot (and will not) ask you for a reason, for money, for any sort of ID, for a visa, for a carte vitale or social security number ... They will just give it for you free. If you're not a teen, they will ask you a bit of money, less than 10 euros / 10 US dollars.
You will not have to pay, they will not tell you parents, they will not tell your country.
baptistemm on June 25th, 2022 at 13:06 UTC »
Actually 3 years ago, the center party which lead since 2017 the country refused a bill 3 years ago when the same left party proposed it. For those who read french https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/15/dossiers/alt/protection_droit_fondamental_ivg
TwasBrillig_ on June 25th, 2022 at 12:04 UTC »
US is less a global leader these days, and more a cautionary tale about how not to start sliding into theocracy.