“Banning abortion will increase the risk of clandestine abortions,” said Marie-Cécile Naves, director of research at IRIS, specialist in the United States, on Tuesday on franceinfo.
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“The questioning of the right to abortion will create division” in the United States, explained Tuesday May 3 on franceinfo Marie-Cécile Naves, director of research at IRIS (Institute of International and Strategic Relations), specialist in the United States. The country’s Supreme Court is set to overturn a historic ruling that has recognized the right to abortion for nearly half a century, according to a draft decision that has had the effect of a bombshell in Washington. The information site Politico (in English)based on an unpublished leak of documents, indicates having obtained the preliminary draft of a majority decision written by the conservative judge Samuel Alito and dated February 10.
franceinfo: Can the Supreme Court really go all the way and overturn this judgment?
Marie-Cecile Naves: We are not so surprised by this possible, even probable decision. We already knew that the right to abortion was weakened in the sense that the Supreme Court had agreed to hear a certain number of cases and in particular the restriction to 15 weeks of pregnancy. This implied that the right to abortion was going to be weakened. What is surprising is the content of the remarks in the draft. It’s not just a questioning of a text, it’s really frontal attacks against the 1973 judgment. That’s what surprises.
What does this draft say?
That the reasoning of the time is erroneous, that this decision of 1973 could create division in the country whereas it is rather the questioning of this right which will create division. Today two-thirds of the American population are in favor of the right to abortion. The divide is much greater among American politicians between conservatives and democrats than among the population.
What is the risk ?
This questioning will leave more latitude to the federated states and create extremely significant inequalities of access. Prohibiting abortion does not lower the abortion rate, it will increase the risk of clandestine abortions. So it is women’s lives and health that are at stake in this matter. This represents a challenge to the rule of law and a very strong polarization between two parties in the country.