“Our group will mainly vote for constitutionalization, some will abstain and others will vote against”declared François-Noël Buffet, LR president of the Senate Law Committee, during his speech to parliamentarians gathered in Versailles to include the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion) in the Constitution, Monday March 4. “This text includes important points voted by the Senate in 2023., underlined President LR of the Senate Law Committee. Indeed, it is the term of “freedom” and not of “right” to resort to abortion which will be enshrined in the Constitution. The senator said he also had assurances from the government that “the warranty term”, added by the executive, “does not create an enforceable right. Follow our live stream.
“We have a moral debt” towards all women who “suffered in their flesh”, declares Gabriel Attal. “Today, the present must respond to history.” In his speech, the Prime Minister applauded Simone Veil and her fight for the legalization of abortion. “We have a moral debt” towards all women who “suffered in their flesh”, he added. A few minutes earlier, the head of government had arrived accompanied by Jean Veil, one of the three sons of Simone Veil who, when she was Minister of Health, had defended the law decriminalizing abortion.
Yaël Braun-Pivet, first woman to chair a Congress. “For the first time in our history, the Congress of Parliament is chaired by a woman”declared the President of the National Assembly, very moved from the podium of the Congress at the Palace of Versailles. “I thought of Simone Veil, (…) she who apologized for sharing her conviction of women in an Assembly almost exclusively composed of men”, continued Yaël Braun-Pivet, to the applause of the parliamentarians gathered in Versailles.
The Catholic Church calls for “fasting and prayer”. The Conference of Bishops of France (CEF) calls on Monday “to fasting and prayer”while Parliament meets in Congress at the Palace of Versailles to include abortion in the Constitution. “Our country would have honored itself by including the promotion of the rights of women and children”states a press release signed in particular by the president of the CEF, Eric de Moulins-Beaufort. “Let us pray above all that our fellow citizens will rediscover the taste for life, for giving it, for receiving it, for accompanying it, for having and raising children”the bishops still plead.
The majority and the opposition welcome a “historic” day. “Often, we have overused the word ‘historical’, but here, I think it is appropriate”said Aurore Bergé, Minister responsible for Equality between women and men, while Parliament meets in Congress to this effect at the Château de Versailles for the inclusion of abortion in the Constitution. “It’s rare, these moments in political history, when you know that you are writing the history of France and the world”declared Mathilde Panot, the leader of the Insoumis deputies.
“There is no suspense.” This was declared by the President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet. The reform will be adopted with a three-fifths majority of the votes cast by deputies and senators. The inclusion of abortion in the Constitution has already passed its most delicate stage in Parliament on Wednesday with the favorable vote of elected officials at the Luxembourg Palace.
The session will begin at 3:30 p.m. and voting will be open for 45 minutes. “The explanations of vote, lasting five minutes, will take place alternately between the groups of the National Assembly and the Senate, in descending order of their respective numbers”explains the National Assembly.
Emmanuel Macron plans to participate in a ceremony on March 8. The President of the Republic plans to participate and speak at the ceremony of sealing the Constitution by the Minister of Justice, after Congress has voted to include voluntary termination of pregnancy in the Constitution, franceinfo has learned with those around him. This ceremony is scheduled for this Friday, March 8, on the occasion of International Women’s Rights Day.