France's National Assembly unanimously approved a law exonerating people convicted for abortions committed before the 1975 legalisation, formally recognising past prosecutions as violations of women's health and rights. The law records that earlier statutes caused "numerous deaths" and severe suffering and sets up a commission to collect testimonies. It offers no financial reparations but was hailed by feminist groups and placed in a wider international context of ongoing fights over reproductive rights.
France Unanimously Exonerates Women Convicted for Abortions Before 1975
Simone Veil, here seen in 1974, as health minister championed legalising abortion (-)(-/AFP/AFP)
French lawmakers on Thursday gave unanimous approval to a bill that formally exonerates people who were punished for having, seeking or helping with abortions before the procedure was legalised in 1975. The National Assembly's vote finalised a proposal previously approved by the Senate in March and backed by the government.
The law's text recognises that enforcement of earlier statutes "criminalising the use of, practice of, access to, and information about abortion" constituted "an infringement of the protection of women's health, of sexual and reproductive autonomy" and "of women's rights." It also says the pre-1975 rules led to "numerous deaths" and caused both "physical and moral suffering."
What the Bill Does
The measure clears past convictions rather than providing financial compensation. It establishes a commission charged with collecting and preserving testimonies and memories from women who were forced into secret abortions and from the people who assisted them. Official estimates say more than 11,660 people were convicted for performing or seeking abortions between 1870 and 1975.
"This is an act of justice toward those thousands of lives shattered by unjust laws," said Aurore Berge, minister-delegate for gender equality, during a speech in which she referenced an abortion her mother had experienced.
Berge added: "We have a responsibility to make amends, but above all we have a duty to sound the alarm," warning of ongoing attacks on women's rights around the world.
Historical and International Context
France decriminalised voluntary termination of pregnancy with the 1975 Veil Law, named after then-health minister Simone Veil, who led the campaign to legalise abortion. Last year France became the first country to enshrine the right to terminate a pregnancy in its constitution.
On Thursday parliamentarians welcomed Claudine Monteil into the gallery. Monteil was one of the 343 women who signed a 1971 open letter admitting they had had abortions and calling for legal reform.
The move was praised by feminist groups as a strong statement defending reproductive rights. "France is sending a clear message, at home and abroad: no one should ever be convicted for having an abortion," the Women's Foundation said. The European Parliament this week also urged the EU to facilitate access to safe abortions across the continent, where access still varies markedly between countries.
Key figures: unanimous National Assembly vote, Senate approval in March, more than 11,660 convictions between 1870 and 1975, no direct financial reparations, creation of a commission to preserve testimonies.
