This is the last major social reform of the five-year term.
Not the least: this Wednesday afternoon, the National Assembly voted in final reading a law allowing the extension of the period of abortion, by adopting a text concocted by two opposition deputies, Albane Gaillot (ex-LREM , not registered) and Marie-Noëlle Battistel (PS), but supported by the majority.
Of 191 participating parliamentarians, 135 voted for, 47 against.
In 2019, a record year for abortion, 232,000 women had an abortion, including several thousand forced to go abroad to do so because they had exceeded the legal deadline.
Here is everything that changes for them from Thursday, February 24, with the publication of the law in the Official Journal.
Two more weeks to abort
From now on, women will be able to benefit from an abortion up to fourteen weeks of pregnancy, instead of twelve.
Two more weeks to integrate the sometimes late realization of a pregnancy.
“It will change the lives of women,” says Albane Gaillot.
According to official figures, between 2,000 and 5,000 women go abroad each year, to countries where it is possible to have an abortion later, particularly in countries bordering ours, for lack of realizing it in time in France. .
“There are also many women who cannot go there to do this for reasons of means”, abounds Marie-Noëlle Battistel.
These are the "most vulnerable women, the very young, the furthest from the healthcare system, the women who have the least access to health information, those who have no means of transport or those who are victims of violence. », adds Albane Gaillot.
Thank you to #feminist #associations, health professionals and committed parliamentarians, for their tireless mobilization behind the #PPLIVG
This is an important day for #women's #rights ✊💚 pic.twitter.com /sZkUabnvCJ
– Albane Gaillot (@AlbaneGaillot) February 23, 2022
Trained midwives
Since 2016, midwives have been able to perform a so-called “medicated” abortion, based on the absorption of drugs, which can only be performed until the seventh week of pregnancy.
From now on, the law will allow them to have an “instrumental” abortion, which can be performed up to the fourteenth week of pregnancy.
“They will be trained in this practice”, announces Albane Gaillot, who also indicates that this will make it possible “to fight against medical desertification in this area”, by expanding the number of authorized professionals.
And for good reason: they are 23,600 in France.
“It's not nothing: we are putting an end to a form of inequality between women, insists the MP.
Since, depending on whether you live in the Val-de-Marne or in the provinces, you do not have the same access to care.
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A directory of professionals
Very concrete novelty: on the scale of France, the law will establish a directory with the contact details of all professionals – doctors, midwives – practicing abortion.
A document that will be intended for the pros themselves, but also for those who have to use it.
“It is not a question of denouncing those who do not do it, warns Albane Gaillot.
But to facilitate the steps of the women.
It should be noted that this type of resource already exists at the regional level, particularly in Île-de-France, but not yet at the national level.
The “conscience clause” remains
Initially, the text planned to remove the “specific conscience clause” allowing doctors to refuse to perform an abortion.
But this development was scratched at the end of 2021 in the parliamentary shuttle to allow the bill to move forward.
"It's our only regret, but this clause is a real
totem
for some parliamentarians," laments Marie-Noëlle Battistel.
A totem also for Emmanuel Macron who, in November 2021, returning from a visit to the Pope, had expressed his reservations about this law, while indicating that he respected the "freedom of parliamentarians".
