On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution to support the inclusion of abortion in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. With a result of 336 votes in favor against 163 against, the European legislators made a declaration of intent in favor of legal abortion.
This is a gesture with no legal repercussions. There is no bill for abortion to be legally protected in the European Union (E.U.). However, it is a first step that the conservatives in the European Parliament could not stop. In the case of taking advantage of this momentum progressives, a European law would directly affect all 27 countries that make up the union.
In E.U. rules, European law takes precedence over national laws. Therefore, if abortion becomes part of the E.U. Charter of Fundamental Rights, all 27 member states would have to completely legalize abortion for women. This would change the legislation in Malta, Ireland and Poland, which have the most restrictive legislation on this matter within the E.U. Malta is the only country that bans abortion completely.
The resolution itself addresses Malta and Poland directly, urging them to remove their restrictions on abortion. It also condemns the free decision of some health professionals, who, for moral reasons, refuse to perform abortions in countries where the law allows it.
Victory for the progressive agenda in France
The endorsement of abortion with the non-binding resolution in the European Parliament comes after France included abortion in its constitution. This change in France's governing document was promoted by the Gabriel Attal, the prime minister serving under President Emmanuel Macron. After the change, Macron promised that he would work to achieve the same goals in the European Union.
