Fifty years ago, Simone Veil presented a landmark law to decriminalize abortion in France, known as the Veil Law. This legislation emerged from a backdrop of social change following May 1968 and earlier reforms like the Neuwirth law on contraception. Despite significant opposition, Veil’s passionate advocacy led to the law’s passage on November 29, 1974, allowing voluntary termination of pregnancy under specific conditions. Subsequent amendments have expanded reproductive rights, reflecting ongoing progress in women’s autonomy.
Simone Veil’s Pivotal Role in Abortion Legislation
On this day, fifty years ago, Simone Veil stood before the National Assembly to present her groundbreaking law aimed at decriminalizing abortion in France. Known as the Veil Law, this significant piece of legislation, enacted on November 29, was championed by the then Minister of Health, who tirelessly prepared and advocated for this monumental step forward for women’s rights.
The journey towards the legalization of abortion can be traced back to a unique historical context. It was a time marked by social upheaval, just six years after the pivotal events of May 1968. The passage of the Neuwirth law in 1967, which legalized the contraceptive pill, laid the groundwork for future discussions on reproductive rights. Additionally, Gisèle Halimi’s establishment of the association ‘Choisir’ in 1970 called attention to the need to repeal the restrictive 1920 law that criminalized abortion. Halimi’s role as a defender in the Bobigny trial of 1972 further spotlighted the issue when she successfully defended a young girl accused of illegal abortion. Notably, the declarations from ‘the 343 sluts’ in 1971 and ‘the 331’ doctors in 1973 highlighted the widespread support for women’s right to choose.
The Legislative Battle and Triumph
The pivotal year of 1974 marked a significant shift in the abortion debate, particularly following the election of Valéry Giscard d’Estaing as President. His narrow victory over François Mitterrand brought the topic of decriminalizing abortion to the forefront of his political agenda. Initially, the bill was assigned to Jean Lecanuet, the Minister of Justice, but after he declined to support it for personal reasons, Simone Veil stepped in to lead the charge.
On November 26, 1974, the bill related to voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG) was introduced to the National Assembly. Over a span of three days, intense parliamentary discussions unfolded, culminating in nearly 25 hours of debate. Simone Veil’s opening speech, lasting an hour, addressed an Assembly predominantly made up of male deputies, stating, “I would like to share with you a conviction of women. No woman resorts to abortion lightly.” She emphasized the urgent need to address the estimated 300,000 illegal abortions occurring annually, which not only violated the law but also inflicted trauma on women.
Despite the support from leftist factions, Veil faced fierce opposition, even from within her own political camp. Detractors voiced moral and ethical concerns, with some labeling the bill as endorsing “abortion for personal convenience.” Nevertheless, after extensive discussions, the law was finally passed in the early hours of November 29, 1974, by a vote of 284 to 189. The legislation allowed for IVG under specific conditions, requiring a written request from the woman and limiting the procedure to a maximum of ten weeks into the pregnancy.
Subsequently, the Senate approved the law with a vote of 185 to 88, leading to its promulgation on January 17, 1975. Initially set for a transitional period of five years, the law has since been extended indefinitely. Noteworthy advancements followed, including the reimbursement of IVG by Social Security in 1982 and an extension of the legal timeframe for the procedure from 10 to 12 weeks in 2001. Most recently, in February 2022, Parliament adopted a bipartisan bill extending the legal duration of IVG to 14 weeks, marking a significant evolution in reproductive rights in France.