France becomes first nation to make abortion a constitutional right

France has become the first country in the world to explicitly guarantee the "freedom to abort" in its constitution. The issue of abortion rights, which has emerged as a major point of contention, is likely to spark debates worldwide, including in the United States, with its upcoming presidential election slated for November.

On Monday (local time), the French National Assembly and Senate held a joint session and approved a constitutional amendment explicitly guaranteeing women's freedom to abort with 780 votes in favor and 72 against. The number of affirmative votes was overwhelmingly higher, more than ten times that of the opposing votes. Fifty members, including Senate President Gérard Larcher, who opposed the amendment, abstained.

France's guarantee of abortion rights is expected to spark new debates not only in neighboring countries such as the United Kingdom and Germany but also in the United States, where the federal Supreme Court overturned abortion rights in 2022. The Associated Press predicts, "The feminist movement advocating for the expansion of abortion rights will once again gain traction around the world."

The U.S. Federal Supreme Court recognized abortion rights under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which stipulates individual freedom, in the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling. However, controversy has intensified since 2022 when conservative-leaning justices gained the upper hand and overturned it. In Europe, many countries are trending towards allowing abortion outright or under certain conditions based on women's rights to health and self-determination. South Korea remains in a legislative vacuum since no follow-up legislation has been enacted following the Constitutional Court's decision in 2019 declaring abortion laws unconstitutional.


Eun-A Cho achim@donga.com