March 4 (UPI) — French lawmakers were expected Monday to pass a final vote to make abortion a constitutional right to become the only country in the world to make it a “guaranteed freedom” in law.
The amendment is expected to win the support of the three-fifths of National Assembly and Senate members required to pass in an extraordinary afternoon session at Versailles in a move that is overwhelmingly supported by the public.
The change overcame initial opposition in the upper house to pass on Wednesday four weeks after the assembly approved the measure by 493-30 votes to enshrine the right to terminate a pregnancy in the constitution — despite being legal in the nominally Catholic country for almost 50 years.
If lawmakers vote by similar proportions Monday afternoon, the motion will pass comfortably.
Limiting abortion ranks very low on France’s political agenda but lawmakers were prompted to take action to protect abortion rights in 2022 following the U.S. Supreme Court‘s overturning of its 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that the criminalization and restriction of access to abortion was unconstitutional.
President Emmanuel Macron pledged last year to enshrine the right to signal his strong support for reproductive rights and score a victory against a far right that is on the rise in France and across Europe.
The move ahead of an election in June has proved a boon for Macron and a problem for the right, while lending him credibility with left-leaning voters.
“It’s impossible to tell if abortion rights won’t come into question in the future in France,” said Mathilde Panot of the left-leaning France Unbowed group in parliament.
“It’s important to capitalize when we have the public on our side,” she said accusing Macron of trying to cash in on an achievement delivered by feminists and MPs.
The clause of the constitution which sets out provisions by which the constitution may be amended states that any proposed revision must be “voted by both assemblies in identical terms” followed by a “yes” vote in a referendum.”
However, amendments can be adopted without a referendum provided the president submits it to Parliament convened in a joint session of both houses.