On the 114th instance of the International Women’s Day, France became the first country worldwide to guarantee the right to abortion into their constitution. The last time the constitution was changed was in 2008, to  focus on equality in politics and stronger limits on politicians. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has announced “...I want to enshrine that guaranteed freedom to abortion in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union." However, some of his critics are calling this move a “smokescreen”.

It isn’t very rare to see one country’s politics influence the policies of other countries. This was recently demonstrated by the fact that this change in France was caused by a very controversial ruling by the United States Supreme Court in June of 2022, repealing the national legislation regarding abortion. After the American repeal, Macron had pledged to protect abortion in France. 

There have been frequent changes to this version of the constitution, which has only been in effect since October 4th, 1958 (the date of creation of the fifth republic of France). This 25th amendment to the French constitution is an important change, as reflected by the use of a 19th- century printing press to seal the amendment in France’s constitution at a special public ceremony.

Critics of Macron say that there was too much fanfare regarding the entire situation.  The leader of “Rassemblement National", Marine LePen, stated her party will vote in favor of the bill but added that “there is no need to make this a historic day.” LePen was Macron’s main opponent in the previous presidential election, and her party is classified as far-right in France.

Macron’s remarks from Friday set the tone for a brighter European future. “Today’s not the end of the story, it’s the beginning of a combat. If France has become the only country in the world whose constitution explicitly protects the right to an abortion in all circumstances, we will not rest until this promise is kept throughout the world. We will wage this battle on our continent, in our Europe, where reactionary forces first and always attack women’s rights, before going on to attack the rights of minorities, of all the oppressed, of all freedoms.,” he stated.