EU lawmakers back call to make abortion fundamental right

European lawmakers on Thursday backed a call to include access to abortion in the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights, in a symbolic move after France enshrined the right in its constitution.

The European Parliament passed the non-binding resolution by 336 votes to 163 with support from centrist and left-wing groups.

But the right to “safe and legal abortion” has almost no chance of inclusion in the bloc’s legally-binding charter which would require unanimous agreement by the EU’s 27 countries.

The right to abortion remains heavily restricted in EU countries including strongly Catholic Poland and Malta. Polish lawmakers on Thursday opened a debate on liberalising abortion laws, but splits in the ruling coalition made the outcome uncertain.

The EU parliament vote followed France last month becoming the first EU nation to include the right to abortion in its constitution.

French President Emmanuel Macron said at the time he would push for abortion to be in the EU rights charter.

The EU debate comes amid increased attention on abortion rights in the United States after the US Supreme Court in 2022 overturned a nationwide right to terminate a pregnancy.

During the vote in the European Parliament, far-left French MEP Manon Aubry decried “attacks by the extreme right and reactionaries” against the resolution.

“The right to abortion is not a question of opinion — it is a human right,” she told parliament. “The right to abortion does not kill, on the contrary it saves lives.”