The wave of abortion extremism sweeping Europe continued on April 11, when the European Parliament voted 336-163 in favour of including “access to abortion” in the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights. The vote itself was symbolic – the resolution is non-binding, as an enforceable “right to abortion” would have to receive the backing of all 27 member states. But the symbol was a sign of things to come, and pro-life leaders in embattled EU member states told me that the vote was intended to place pressure on legislators in countries like Malta, where pre-born children are still protected in the womb.
In Poland, a raft of bills has been put forward by legislators seeking to fulfill the liberal, pro-EU Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s campaign promise to put an end to the country’s pro-life regime; abortion activists, sensing that they may be facing a unique opportunity with a splintered coalition government, are pushing fiercely for action. Four bills have been put forward, two of which propose legalising abortion on demand up to 12 weeks of pregnancy; a third proposing the decriminalisation of assisting a woman in procuring an abortion; and the fourth proposing a reversion to the pre-2020 norm by legalising abortion in the case of fetal abnormality.
In Germany, a government-appointed commission has recommended that abortion should be legalised within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy,
While abortion is rarely punished, it remains illegal in Germany, except for specific circumstances including when a woman’s life is in danger or she is a victim of rape, while the prerequisite for any termination is a consultation with a state-recognised body.
The all-female expert commission on reproductive self-determination and reproductive medicine was set up by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party government after the desire to change the 153-year-old law was anchored in its coalition agreement.
In neighbouring Poland, abortion rights have become a highly divisive topic, especially since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2022 to abolish the nationwide right to abortion.
On Friday, the Center for Reproductive Rights in Europe welcomed the news that lawmakers in Poland, under Tusk’s new liberal government, had taken the first step in relaxing the country’s strict abortion rules, including seeking to decriminalise the murder of unborn babies.
Supporters of change in Germany have welcomed the initiative by French President Emmanuel Macron for the EU to guarantee a woman’s right to abortion in its charter of fundamental rights, and for France to enshrine abortion as a constitutional right. Lawmakers said the impetus for this initiative was the U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Europe - despite facing a slump in birth rates and a demographic crash, is becoming a very dangerous place for unborn babies!