France Becomes The First Country To Make Right To Abortion A Constitutional Guarantee
France has amended its constitution to guarantee a woman¡¯s right to abortion, making it the first country in the world to do so.
The French Parliament on Monday approved a bill to enshrine abortion rights in France's constitution in a 780-72 vote.
What amendment to French constitution says?
Abortion enjoys wide support in France across most of the political spectrum and has been legal since 1975.
Both houses of France's parliament, the National Assembly and Senate, had separately adopted a bill to amend Article 34 of the French Constitution, but the amendment needed final confirmation by a three-fifths majority in the special joint session.
The measure specifies that ¡°the law determines the conditions by which is exercised the freedom of women to have recourse to an abortion, which is guaranteed.¡±
A recent poll showed support for abortion rights among the French public at more than 80%, consistent with previous surveys. The same poll also showed that a solid majority of people are in favor of enshrining it in the Constitution.
How it is different from Yugoslavia?
Previously, the only country to provide a similar constitutional right was Yugoslavia.
¡°A person is free to decide on having children,¡± the constitution of the erstwhile Yugoslavia stated in 1974.
Abortion rights in Europe
Abortion is broadly legal across Europe, and governments have been gradually expanding abortion rights, with some exceptions. Women can access abortion in more than 40 European nations from Portugal to Russia, with varying rules on how late in a pregnancy it is allowed.?
Abortion laws in India
In India, while it is not a constitutional guarantee, women have the right to abortion under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act 1971.
While the act allows abortion up to 24 weeks, it was originally limited to married women.
But in September 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that all women are entitled to safe and legal abortions, irrespective of their marital status.
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