France attempts again to extend abortion term
President Emmanuel Macron declared himself an opponent of the bill. Photo EPA, Yoan Valat
Western Europe
The French government attempts to extend the abortion term from 12 to 14 weeks of pregnancy for the second time. This extension results in a higher health risk for expecting mothers. The majority of doctors opposes the proposal, Die Tagespost reports.
On November 29 and 30, the French National Assembly will debate about the bill that also removes the conscience clause for doctors who do not want to perform abortions.
The same bill was proposed last year November already. That time the Senate rejected it. In the end, the bill was withdrawn because it received too many amendments from the right of the political spectrum. In July, President Emmanuel Macron also declared himself an opponent of the bill.
However, this November, the former minister of domestic issues affairs, Christophe Castaner, put the issue back on the agenda for the end of November. Castaner is currently the leader of the La République en Marche, the political party of President Macron.
72 percent practitioners opposed
However, the French Association of Gynaecologists and obstetricians points out the risks that abortions bring along when performed in more advanced pregnancies. A survey shows that 72 per cent of abortion practitioners oppose the extension.
In addition, the national ethics committee earlier spoke out in favour of keeping the conscience clause. Chief Physician for Infant and Pediatric Surgery at the University Hospital in Dijon has started a petition to defend the clause.
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