France makes abortion a constitutional right

France has made history by becoming the first country to officially include the right to abortion in its constitution.

Members of Parliament voted to amend France’s 1958 constitution to safeguard women’s “assured freedom” to terminate pregnancies.

The vote, with a decisive tally of 780-72, was met with a standing ovation in the Versailles parliament upon announcement of the result.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed the decision as a source of “French pride” that had sent a “universal message”.

Nevertheless, opposition to the change has been vocal from anti-abortion groups and the Vatican.

Abortion has been legally permissible in France since 1975, with approximately 85% of the public supporting constitutional amendments to protect this right, according to polls.

While other nations have enshrined reproductive rights in their constitutions, France is the first to explicitly guarantee the right to abortion.