15.62°C Vancouver

Mar 4, 2024 6:56 PM - The Associated Press

French Senate approves a bill to make abortion a constitutional right

Share On
french-senate-approves-a-bill-to-make-abortion-a-constitutional-right
Macron said after the vote that his government is committed to “making women’s right to have an abortion irreversible by enshrining it in the constitution.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

France’s Senate on Wednesday adopted a bill to enshrine a woman’s right to an abortion in the constitution, clearing a key hurdle for legislationpromised by President Emmanuel Macronin response toa rollback in abortion rights in the United States.

Wednesday’s vote came after the lower house, the National Assembly,overwhelmingly approved the proposalin January. The measure now goes before a joint session of parliament for its expected approval by a three-fifths majority next week.

Macron said after the vote that his government is committed to “making women’s right to have an abortion irreversible by enshrining it in the constitution.” He said on X, formerly Twitter, that he would convene a joint session of parliament for a final vote on Monday.

Macron’s government wants Article 34 of the constitution amended to specify that “the law determines the conditions by which is exercised the freedom of women to have recourse to an abortion, which is guaranteed.”

The senate adopted the bill on a vote of 267 in favor, and 50 against. “This vote is historic,” Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti said. “The Senate has written a new page in women's rights."

None of France’s major political parties represented in parliament has questioned the right to abortion, which was decriminalized in 1975. With both houses of parliament adopting the bill, Monday's joint session at the Palace of Versailles is expected to be largely a formality.

The government argued in its introduction to the bill that the right to abortion is threatened in the United States, where the Supreme Court in 2022 overturned a 50-year-old ruling that used to guarantee it.

“Unfortunately, this event is not isolated: in many countries, even in Europe, there are currents of opinion that seek to hinder at any cost the freedom of women to terminate their pregnancy if they wish,” the introduction to the French legislation says.

In Poland, a controversial tightening of the already restrictive abortion law led toprotests in the country last yearThe Polish constitutional court ruled in 2020 that women could no longer terminate pregnancies in cases of severe fetal deformities, including Down Syndrome.

Latest news

major-police-operation-near-kilmore-crescent-area-in-surrey-sps-confirms-multiple-arrests
BCOct 05, 2025

Major police operation near Kilmore Crescent area in Surrey, SPS confirms multiple arrests

A major police operation was carried out in the area of ​​Kilmore Crescent, near 152nd Street and 60th Avenue, in Surrey today. During this time, a large number of police officers approached a house in the area and multiple people were arrested. The police are yet to release any official information in the case, but some residents of the neighborhood told the Connect FM team that at least 3 people were arrested. Connect FM spoke to Sergeant Tige Pollock, Media Relations Officer for Surrey Police Service, for more information on the matter. He said “a police team is still at the property
anand-set-to-host-fellow-g7-foreign-ministers-in-november-near-niagara-falls
CanadaOct 03, 2025

G7 Foreign Ministers to Meet in Niagara Region Next Month for Security and Economic Talks

Canada will host foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations next month for two days of high-level discussions on global security and economic resilience. The meetings, scheduled for November 11 and 12, will take place in Ontario’s Niagara Region. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand will chair the session, welcoming her counterparts from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and representatives of the European Union. The gathering follows a ministerial meeting held in Quebec earlier this year and the G7 leaders’ summit in Alberta in June. Global Affai
police-first-responders-scramble-to-help-woman-give-birth-on-victoria-waterfront
BCOct 03, 2025

Police, first responders scramble to help woman give birth on Victoria waterfront

Emergency responders in Victoria, B.C., had to rush into action to support a woman giving birth on Wharf Street, along the city's busy waterfront area. Victoria police say an officer and St. John Ambulance members were working at a local event on Sept. 20 when a passerby notified them of a woman in labour. Police say the officer and other responders found the woman who was in active labour and helped support her along with other members of the public. The newborn was delivered before paramedics could arrive. Police say the baby appeared healthy while being cared for by emergency responders, al
b-c-public-workers-expand-pickets-again-to-more-liquor-cannabis-retail-stores
BCOct 03, 2025

B.C. public workers expand pickets again to more liquor, cannabis retail stores

Striking public service workers in British Columbia have expanded pickets at provincial liquor and cannabis stores again, adding 20 more locations to the list. The B.C. General Employees’ Union says the escalation also includes job action by front-line staff at several ministry offices. It says more than 17,000 public service workers are now taking job action across the province, which is half the 34,000 workers represented by the union. Union president Paul Finch says in a statement that every day the government delays, pressure on public services will grow, and it will continue to step up
kapil-sharmas-kaps-cafe-reopens-in-canada
BCOct 03, 2025

Kap's Cafe reopens again after second shooting incident

Kap's Cafe, which was the target of two shootings in Surrey, has reopened again. The cafe was closed for about 10 days after the first shooting on July 10. Kapil Sharma had initially shared a post about the cafe's reopening, but within weeks of reopening in July, the cafe was again the target of a shooting in early August. The cafe reopened again on October 1, the Connect FM team reached the cafe on Thursday (Oct. 2nd) and tried to get comments from the cafe manager. The manager denied any comment on camera and said that the management had refused to provide any official information. At aroun

Related News