The text consecrating the entry of abortion into the Constitution has been sealed. Emmanuel Macron promised to fight against the “difficulties of access” to abortion and to campaign for the inclusion of this freedom in the fundamental rights of the European Union.
The essential
- This Friday, March 8, the sealing ceremony took place after the inclusion of the guaranteed freedom for women to resort to abortion in the Constitution on Place Vendôme, in front of the Ministry of Justice.
- “The seal of the Republic seals on this day a long fight for freedom, made of tears, drama, broken destinies” declared Emmanuel Macron during his speech. The Head of State also said he would like “the inclusion of this guaranteed freedom to resort to voluntary termination of pregnancy in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
- Tribute was paid to feminist activists who engaged in the fight for abortion rights. A video clip retracing the history of combat and key moments such as the publication of the manifesto of the 343, Gisèle Halimi’s speech, that of Simone Veil in front of the Assembly until the Parliament vote last Monday.
- France is the first country to include the freedom to resort to abortion in its Constitution and the officialization of the measure takes place on International Women’s Rights Day, an all the more symbolic date.
The ceremony on video
Live
13:33 – “It is the strength of a country to come together around a common project”
“It is the strength of a country to come together around a common project. I do not want to have a word that divides at this moment. The French can be proud of this constitutional change,” declared Emmanuel Macro in front of the journalists. The Head of State also enjoys a crowd bath with the French who came to attend the ceremony.
13:29 – Macron defends “the freedom of women to dispose of their bodies” despite demographic rearmament
“I never thought that demographic rearmament should come at the expense of women’s freedom to control their own bodies,” Emmanuel Macron assured the press. The Head of State, who recalled the necessary nature of defending the right and freedom to resort to abortion, was questioned about the possible contradiction between the defense of abortion and the logic of “demographic rearmament ” which was poorly received by certain elected officials and feminist activists.
13:21 – The work of Mathilde Panot and Mélanie Vogiel mentioned by Emmanuel Macron
Emmanuel Macron cited numerous activists and politicians who have defended the right to abortion in France over the years. He had a word for the parliamentarians who allowed the entry of abortion into the Constitution, citing in particular Mathilde Panot, president of the LFI group of deputies, and Mélanie Vogiel, environmentalist senator who have been among those leading this fight for several months in Parliament. Gabriel Attal was criticized for not mentioning these policies during his speech to Congress.
13:12 – “We must lead the world in this same movement”
After the sealing ceremony, the President of the National Assembly spoke to the media. Welcoming the progress made by France, Yaël Braun-Pivet believes that “we must lead the world in this same movement”. This must have a continuation, it is not an end” added the elected official.
12:55 – Still “difficulties of access” to abortion
If the freedom to resort to abortion is sealed in the Constitution, this is not the case for the right to abortion. And even though difficulties persist and prevent certain women from accessing abortion. Emmanuel Macron therefore promised to “fight against disinformation, the obstacles of daily life and the difficulties of access” to abortion. On this day of women’s rights, the Head of State also promised “to act to put an end to the beatings, the violence, the feminicides, the fear that grips us when we return home. […] To put an end to its prejudices which prevent these attacks which traumatize, these insults which poison. [Et d’]act for these women who work more and earn less, their minds revolted by injustice.”
12:34 – “To arms citizens, citizens”: La Marseillaise reinterpreted
It’s a slightly revisited Marseillaise that Catherine Ringer sang. The historic text was adapted to the historic event of the entry of the freedom to resort to abortion into the Constitution. The artist preferred inclusive lyrics: “To arms citizens, citizenes”. “Let us march, let us sing, this pure law in the Constitution” sang Catherine Ringer again.
12:31 – “A decline in the right to abortion” worrying even in Europe
If the constitutionalization of freedom of abortion was not considered necessary by everyone “just a few weeks ago” according to Emmanuel Macron, the Head of State stressed that “the setbacks of our time have made it a necessity and an emergency. Because everywhere in the world, including in the largest democracies, including among our neighbors, in Europe, we are witnessing the decline in the right to abortion.”
12:28 – Macron defends abortion freedom at European level
“I hope that this guaranteed freedom for women to resort to voluntary termination of pregnancy will be included in the charter of fundamental rights of the European Union” declared Emmanuel Macron
12:26 – “A long fight for freedom” hailed by Emmanuel Macron
“The seal of the Republic seals on this day a long fight for freedom, made of tears, drama, broken destinies,” declared the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron, after the sealing ceremony. “Today is not the end of a story, it is the beginning of a fight,” he added.
12:25 – Emmanuel Macron speaks
“The seal of the Republic seals on this day a long fight for freedom, made of tears, drama, broken destinies” indicated the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron after the sealing ceremony. He then referred to several women who have broken the taboo and prohibitions on abortion, such as Simone De Beauvoir or Annie Ernaux.
12:19 – The sealed text, thunderous applause
The text which enshrines the freedom to resort to abortion in the Constitution has just been sealed by the Minister of Justice after a final press stunt. Eric Dupond-Moretti brandished the text marked with the Seals of the Republic in front of the crowd to thunderous applause.
12:15 – The text of the freedom to resort to abortion presented
The text of the right to abortion which enters the Constitution and which is about to be sealed is presented to the Assembly and installed under the press. The text was greeted with applause from the crowd.
12:09 – A clip in tribute to activists and the fight for abortion
A video clip retracing the history of the fight for the right to abortion and the strong acts of several feminists, notably the 343 manifesto, Gisèle Halime’s speech at the Bobigny trial or that of Simone Veil before the National Assembly, is broadcast from Place Vendôme before Emmanuel Macron’s speech.
12:06 – The graves of ten activists decorated with flowers by Emmanuel Macron
Before his speech which is expected around 12:10 p.m., Emmanuel Macron went to pay tribute to the ten feminist activists honored this Friday by putting flowers on their graves.
11:53 – Ministers and parliamentarians continue to arrive
The 925 parliamentarians who voted at the beginning of the week for or against the entry of abortion into the Constitution were invited to the ceremony. Just like all the members of the government who started arriving at Place Vendôme a few minutes ago. Ministers like Rachida Dati, appointed to Justice, or Marc Fesneau, appointed to Agriculture, have arrived. The latter even arrived alongside MP and former Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. The Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti and Emmanuel Macron will be the last to arrive on site.
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On Monday, deputies and senators, meeting in Congress in Versailles, largely adopted the draft constitutional law aimed at including the “guaranteed freedom” to resort to voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion) in the Constitution. France has thus become, neither more nor less, the first country in the world to include the right to abortion in its fundamental law. A first that President Emmanuel Macron intends to celebrate. In the wake of the vote, the president himself announced the organization of a sealing ceremony, this Friday, March 8, on the occasion of International Women’s Rights Day.
French pride, universal message.
Let us celebrate together the entry of a new freedom guaranteed in the Constitution by the first sealing ceremony in our history open to the public.
See you this March 8, International Women’s Rights Day. pic.twitter.com/dcwniEPei4
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 4, 2024
The event will begin at noon, Place Vendôme, in Paris, where the Ministry of Justice is located. The ceremony will be open to the public. For the first time, relay The Parisianthe seal press, which Jean-Jacques-Régis de Cambacérès himself ordered in his time and which weighs barely 300 kg, specifies Le Figarowill leave the Chancellery to affix the seal of the Republic made in 1848. A seal which has not been used since the last constitutional reform, sixteen years ago.
Before the entire mechanism of the seal press is put into motion, President Emmanuel Macron should give a speech which will undoubtedly be an opportunity to highlight women’s rights. Then, the ancestral ritual will take place. The Director of Civil Affairs and the Seal will pronounce, word for word: “I have the honor to request that you please proceed with the position of the Great Seal of the French Republic on the constitutional law, relating to the guaranteed freedom of voluntary termination of pregnancy.” The Minister of Justice, Éric Dupond-Moretti, will then pay tribute to his title of Minister of Justice by turning the pendulum of the press no less than ten times. Brief. The show promises to be there!