It marks a historic moment for French feminism. This adjective, often used without rigor, seems fitting for what unfolded this Monday afternoon at the Palace of Versailles. France has become the first country in the world to clearly inscribe abortion in its Constitution. More than 90% of the deputies and senators who voted supported the measure — the minimum 60% required for a constitutional reform — enshrining in Article 34 of the Constitution the “freedom guaranteed” for women to voluntarily interrupt pregnancy.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, is expected to sign this measure on Friday, aligning with International Women’s Day. It is not only the first constitutional reform of his presidency but also one of the most ambitious feminist policies since he took office in 2017.
For the first time since 2007, France is altering its Constitution. It does so to cement at the top of its legislative pyramid one of the great milestones of the feminist movement: abortion. “It is a fundamental stage that will be remembered in history. (…) We are giving Simone Veil a second victory,” said Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, referring to the eminent liberal minister who legalized abortion in 1975. “We are still far from the end of the journey, but we are moving closer to equality” between men and women, added the 34-year-old head of government, who arrived in Versaille accompanied by Jean Veil, Simone’s son.
“France Reclaims a Thread from Its History”
With 780 votes in favor and 72 against, a broad majority of deputies and senators ratified the constitutionalization of abortion. To modify the Constitution in France, a referendum or a joint session of Congress is required, bringing 925 lawmakers together in Versailles. In the case of abortion, the move relied on the second option. After unanimous adoption in the National Assembly (January 30) and the Senate (February 28), there was no suspense about Monday’s vote. It was a formal step, yet laden with solemnity and symbolism.
The result announcement was met with a long ovation. “I thank you, I thank you for them,” said Yaël Braun-Pivet, the president of the Assembly. “What happiness to have built this vote with all of you, with almost all groups,” added socialist senator Laurence Rossignol from the chamber’s balcony, in the grand hall built in the late 19th century at the Palace of Versailles. “France reclaims today the thread of its history, the history of the country of human rights,” she continued.
One whisper from the assembled ministers and representatives highlighted how this measure is a signal to opponents abroad. A former minister considered it a message to opponents around the world — including political figures who have questioned abortion rights in recent years. The idea of inscribing abortion in the Constitution gained momentum in the public debate in France after the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which led to abortion restrictions in several American states. That decision helped set the stage for the French move, observers note.
Senator Mélanie Vogel, an ecologist, and Mathilde Panot of France Insoumise, who align with other reform movements, pushed for constitutional protection of abortion in the autumn of 2022. Macron’s allied parties also supported the measure then, which passed the National Assembly in November of that year. Back then, lawmakers could not settle on a single wording to amend the Charter. A year later, they reached an agreement. The wording shifted from “the right to abortion” to “the guaranteed freedom,” a definition that places a lighter burden on the State.
An Unusual Consensus in French Politics
From left to far right, including Macron’s allies and the conservative right, representatives from across the spectrum supported the measure. Public opinion appears to be driving this consensus, with surveys showing broad support for changing the Constitution to protect abortion rights. While France has been perceived as becoming more conservative on immigration and Islam over the past decade, the public mood on issues like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights has trended more progressive.
Unlike the usual sharp political clashes, Versailles hosted a moment of solemnity, rarely seen in Macron’s second term. “There are moments in a country’s life when unity and the general interest must prevail over quarrels,” Attal said. “For the first time in our history, the Congress is chaired by a woman,” Braun-Pivet reminded everyone, underscoring the symbolism of the day.
One of the few tense moments came during Hélène Laporte of the National Gathering, who criticized the idea that abortion rights are in danger and urgently need constitutional protection. Although RN and Éric Zemmour’s Reconquista support Veil’s law, France still has antiabortion groups that march on occasion, including this Monday in Versailles. Media outlets like CNews — sometimes described as the “French Fox” — also frame the abortion right in highly critical terms.
The Monday vote elevated the French state to the forefront of legally affirming abortion rights. Yet, the window for terminating a pregnancy in France remains a 14-week limit, shorter than Spain’s 22 weeks or the United Kingdom’s 24 weeks. Annually, between 3,500 and 5,000 French women travel abroad to undergo an abortion. “One in four has to relocate to another department to exercise this right,” lamented the reformist Panot. France has taken a historic step, but some argue it remains insufficient to fully guarantee the fundamental freedom for women to decide over their own bodies.