Landmark decision at Versailles as French Parliament votes to enshrine abortion rights in Constitution

In a historic Versailles session, the French Parliament overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment securing abortion rights, marking a groundbreaking moment for women’s rights. France becomes the first country in the world to enshrine abortion in its constitution.

I n a historic move, the French Parliament convened at the majestic Palace of Versailles for a landmark joint session on Monday. The focus of this extraordinary gathering was the final vote to cement abortion as a constitutional right in France. Having successfully passed through both the Sénat and the Assemblée Nationale, the measure awaited crucial approval at the Versailles session, a requirement for any constitutional amendment.

The monumental move (an amendment to Article 34 of the Constitution) explicitly enshrines “a woman’s guaranteed freedom to have recourse to an abortion”, with President Emmanuel Macron underlining his commitment to making this right “irreversible.”

“I am committed to making women’s freedom to have an abortion irreversible by enshrining it in the Constitution.”

— President Emmanuel Macron, on X (formerly Twitter)