four moments to remember from the sealing ceremony organized in Paris

For the first time, this ceremony was open to the public.

Bright sunshine for a day “historical”. Many people gathered at Place Vendôme, in Paris, for the ceremony organized on the occasion of the sealing of the law including voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion) in the Constitution, Friday March 8.

During this ceremony which lasted a little less than an hour, Eric Dupond-Moretti placed the seal of the Republic on the law including abortion in the Constitution. Then the President of the Republic affirmed his desire to registere “there guaranteed freedom to resort to abortion” in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Catherine Ringer performed a version of The Marseillaise slightly revisited and members of the public sang Debout les femmes, the anthem of the Women’s Liberation Movement (MLF). Franceinfo returns in four sequences to this ceremony.

1Sealing by Eric Dupont-Moretti

It was Eric Dupond-Moretti, the Keeper of the Seals, who logically affixed the seal of the Republic to the law registering the “freedom guaranteed” of access to voluntary termination of pregnancy in the Constitution. In the presence of the president, he handled the 1810 press expressly taken out of his office, in great silence, before long applause broke out from the guests and the several hundred people who had come to attend this ceremony of sealing the Constitution.

2 Emmanuel Macron wants to include abortion in the EU charter of fundamental rights

Emmanuel Macron confirmed his desire to register the “freedom to resort” to abortion “in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union” where, according to him, “nothing can be taken for granted and everything must be defended”. “We will lead this fight on our continent, where reactionary forces first and always attack the rights of women before then attacking the rights of minorities, of all the oppressed, of all freedoms”declared the Head of State during a public ceremony at Place Vendôme.

3“La Maseillaise” performed by Catherine Ringer

Singer Catherine Ringer performed a slightly revisited version of The Marseillaise. Eit thus replaced the “impure blood” who, in the national anthem, “water our furrows” by the homage to the entrance of“a pure law in the Constitution” to discuss the inclusion of abortion in the fundamental law. “Citizens”also added Rita Mitsouko star. “Let’s walk, let’s sing”she intoned, to the applause of the crowd who came to witness this historic moment.

4 “Stand up, women” intoned by the audience

Just after Eric Dupond-Moretti sealed the law, members of the public chanted Stand up womenthe MLF anthem, to applause. “It’s a powerful anthem, which talks about sexist and sexual violence, sorority, subjects that are still relevant today”explained to franceinfo, Fabienne El-Khoury, from the Dare Feminism movement. Performed to the tune of Song of the swampsthis anthem was created in 1971 by activists from the Women’s Liberation Movement, who were preparing a rally in memory of the women of the Commune.