The suspense was short-lived. About ten minutes after beginning his tribute speech to lawyer Gisèle Halimi, organized on Wednesday March 8 in the courtroom of the first chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal, Emmanuel Macron announced the presentation ” in the coming months “ d’” a law project “ to include voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG) in the Constitution.
At the same time, gathered in Place de la République, in Paris, and in several other cities, in processions celebrating International Women’s Rights Day, feminist activists called for sanctuary of this major achievement, to which an average of 220,000 women each year in France.
Much awaited by associations for the defense of women’s rights who have been campaigning for this constitutionalization since the revocation of the judgment Roe v. Wade in the United States in June 2022, the announcement was welcomed by the latter. “This is a big step towards securing the right to abortion in France and an exemplary step forward for the rest of the world”, reacted Sylvie Pierre-Brossolette, the president of the High Council for Equality, who attended the ceremony. According to her, it is “It is important that the President of the Republic did it on this occasion, it is the crowning achievement of Gisèle Halimi’s work”.
Anne-Cécile Mailfert, President of the Women’s Foundation, underlined “the very strong impact of such a decision on the international scene, which activists around the world need”. Mme Mailfert, who had attended during the day the presentation of the Simone-Veil prize rewarding a Salvadorian collective for the right to abortion, was pleased that France “can serve as an example to other countries” with this coming constitutionalization.
Family Planning, for its part, wished to salute on Twitter “a victory for feminist associations” as well as “the commitment of parliamentarians”.
Emmanuel Macron quotes “freedom”, not “the law”
The promise made by the Head of State is indeed in line with a parliamentary initiative, the first act of which was held on November 24, 2022 in the National Assembly, with the adoption at first reading of a proposed constitutional law from the ranks of La France insoumise, supported by the presidential majority, aimed at guaranteeing ” the right “ to abortion in the Constitution. Two months later, the Senate, in turn, adopted the text but with substantial modifications, voting in favor of freedom of the woman to terminate her pregnancy.
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