French constitutional vote: What happens to abortion rights across Europe?

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France this week became the first country in the world to make abortion a constitutional right after lawmakers voted in favor of explicitly guaranteeing a woman’s right to voluntarily terminate her pregnancy. .

The historic move was approved by a vote of 780 to 72 at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris and was greeted with a standing ovation.

In France, where it has been legal since 1975, the right to abortion is more widely accepted than in the United States and many other countries, with polls showing that around 80 percent of French citizens support the fact that abortion is legal. are doing.

“We send a message to all women: your body is yours and no one can decide for you,” said new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.

After the vote, the Eiffel Tower in Paris was lit up with a congratulatory message reading “Mon Corps Mon Choux” and the English translation “My Body My Choice.”

In Europe, 95% of women now live in countries where abortion is legal on request, and the vast majority have no conditions attached to it.

Here’s what you need to know about abortion rights across Europe.

Abortion possible upon request

In Europe, 39 out of 47 countries have legalized abortion on request. The exact maximum gestation period varies from country to country, but usually it is 18 to 24 weeks.

France is one of the least restrictive countries, with abortions available on request. Countries from across Europe are also participating, including Greece, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.

However, some countries have implemented mandatory measures such as counseling (12 countries) and waiting periods (15 countries). Countries that have introduced both include Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Russia.

The Center for Reproductive Rights charities has criticized both measures as biased and medically unnecessary.

Abortion is permitted under certain conditions

The UK is one of only two European countries (the other being Finland) that allows abortions if certain conditions are met. These were established in her 1967 law, which was amended in 1990.

These conditions include risks to the pregnant woman’s life or her physical and mental health, and the risk that the child will suffer serious physical or mental complications if it is born. Abortion is possible up to 23 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy.

According to the British Pregnancy Advisory Board, British law gives doctors a “gatekeeping role” in deciding who is allowed to perform abortions. The language of the law gives them significant discretion in determining whether the conditions are met.

However, abortion is not legal in the UK. In 2023, Carla Foster, a 44-year-old mother of three, was sentenced to more than two years in prison for taking more abortion pills than the legal limit.

Abortion is severely restricted or completely prohibited

Only three countries in Europe still have complete bans on abortion. San Marino, Malta and Andorra. These three are among the smallest and least populated countries on the continent.

Three other countries, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and Poland, have very restrictive abortion laws. In these countries, abortion is only allowed if the woman’s life or health is at risk, or if the pregnancy is the result of sexual assault.