French President Emmanuel Macron advocated for the inclusion of abortion in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. This comes after the French Parliament fortified the “right” to abortion in the constitution on Monday, voting in favor of enshrining it as a “guaranteed freedom.”
During his speech on International Women’s Day, Macron declared, “The seal of our Republic puts the finishing touch on a long struggle for freedom.” He paid tribute to women at an event, stating that “for too many years, the destiny of women was marked by others.”
Macron explained that amending the constitution was a response to a “rollback” in women’s rights. He emphasized the need to record the irreversible in the face of the unthinkable. Macron praised the efforts of lawmakers from all factions and feminist activists, noting that it was a universal fight. He expressed his desire to include this “guaranteed freedom” in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Describing it as a “universal struggle,” Macron stated that the progress of women’s rights is the progress of human rights, calling it a “victory that cannot be erased.” He concluded by saying, “When the right to abortion is finally universal, we will remember that it all began on this day, March 8, 2024, when France became great,” amid applause from the crowd.
Earlier, French Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti stamped the Republic’s seal on the legislative text during a public ceremony in the Parisian Vendome Square.
On the same day, protests are scheduled in around 200 locations in France, including major cities like Bordeaux, Lyon, and Marseille. In Paris, the march is set to begin around 2:00 PM local time at Gambetta Square, proceeding to the Bastille Square.
