On January 17, 1975, the Veil law marked a historic turning point in France by decriminalizing abortion (IVG), thus granting women a fundamental right. 50 years after this major advancement, access to abortion remains a topic of debate and practical difficulties. Although the law guarantees this right, many women still face obstacles: regional inequalities, lack of resources in some facilities, social pressure and misinformation. Here’s how the significant milestones in the history of abortion have shaped this struggle and revealed its current challenges.
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1810: Establishment of the Crime of Abortion
If abortion has been prohibited and criminalized at least since the edict of 1556 under Henry II, the penal code of 1810 strengthens the ban by establishing the crime of abortion and increasing the penalties for it. Article 317 of the code punishes any woman who undergoes an abortion with a prison sentence of one to five years, as well as any third party who has “procured the abortion of a pregnant woman,” whether they consented to it or not. Doctors and pharmacists who might have participated in an abortion are subject to hard labor.
1923: Abortion Becomes a Offense
After the devastation caused by World War I, France strongly represses abortion to encourage higher birth rates. The law of July 31, 1920, titled “law punishing the provocation to abortion and contraceptive propaganda” notably prohibits the propagation...
and for contraceptive methods and redefines abortion as a crime. On March 27, 1923, the penal code changes and abortion becomes an offense. A type of infraction that is theoretically less severe, but which actually hides a desire to better pursue those who have abortions, as juries are considered too lenient.For more than 50 years, it will thus be punished, except in 1942, under the Vichy regime, during which abortion was considered a state crime punishable by death. During this time, two people were executed: Marie-Louise Giraud, a midwife, guillotined on July 30, 1942, for having performed 27 abortions, and Désiré Pioge, executed on October 22, 1943, for having helped three women to have abortions.
December 1967 : authorization of contraception
While it does not have a direct impact on the right to abortion, it remains closely linked to the issue :the right to contraception. On December 28, 1967, the enactment of the Neuwirth law eliminates the effects of the law from 1920 and legalizes the use of the pill for the first time. A way for women to free themselves from the risk of unwanted pregnancies and, consequently, reduce the number of unsafe abortions.
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April 1971: the manifesto of the 343 sluts
At the beginning of the 1970s, American feminists developed the Karman method, which allows for safe abortion. This revolutionary new technique quickly makes its way to France and significantly reduces the number of deaths related to illegal abortions, encouraging the government to rethink the issue. But what really drives change is the "manifesto of the 343 sluts." Published on April 15, 1971, in the pages of Nouvel Observateur, this text written by Simone de Beauvoir and signed by 343 women — including Gisèle Halimi, Catherine Deneuve, and Jeanne Moreau — calls for the decriminalization of abortion. On November 20 of the same year, over 40,000 people demonstrated in Paris for the right to abortion.
1972: the Bobigny trial
By the end of 1972, abortion is still considered a crime, even when...
it is the consequence of a rape. This is how the trial of Bobigny makes headlines. It pits Marie-Claire — a 16-year-old girl who had an abortion after being raped — along with her mother and three women who helped her, against the French State. Defended by lawyer Gisèle Halimi, who turned this trial into a political fight for the right to abortion, the young girl is ultimately acquitted. This event will mark a decisive turning point towards the decriminalization of voluntary interruption of pregnancy in France.
January 17, 1975: Adoption of the Veil Law
This is undoubtedly the most important date in the history of the right to abortion: on January 17, 1975, the National Assembly decriminalizes the right to abortion through the vote on the Veil Law. At that time, minister of health under the presidency of Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, Simone Veil presents a bill aimed at authorizing voluntary interruption of pregnancy (IVG) in November 1974. After heated debates, the law will be promulguée in January of the following year for a period of five years. It will be renewed on November 30, 1979 to come into effect permanently on January 1, 1980.
With the passage of this law, abortion is now legalized and regulated. It can be performed by a doctor at the request of a pregnant woman, before the end of her 10th week of pregnancy.
December 1982: Abortion Reimbursement
While abortion is indeed legalized, the Veil Law does not provide for it to be free of charge. The law of December 31, 1982, known as the Roudy Law, establishes state coverage for the costs incurred by health insurance for abortions.
1990: Medication Abortion Authorized in Hospitals.
While abortion is almost exclusively performedBy way of aspiration, medication-induced abortion using mifepristone has been authorized in hospitals since 1990.
January 1993: Offense of Obstructing Abortion
More than just the right to abortion, an offense of obstructing it was created by the Neiertz law. Consequently, attempting to prevent an abortion, either by disrupting access to healthcare facilities or by threatening women wishing to have an abortion or medical staff, is punishable by two years in prison and a €30,000 fine.
July 4, 2001: Legal Abortion Deadline Extended from 10 to 12 Weeks
While the Veil law of 1975 defined the legal deadline for abortion as 10 weeks, the Aubry law of July 4, 2001, extends this deadline to 12 weeks of pregnancy. Minors also gain the right to have an abortion without parental consent but must be accompanied by an adult reference person.
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October 26, 2012: 100% Refund for Abortions
In line with his campaign promise, François Hollande's government decided, one year after taking office, to fully cover abortion costs through health insurance for all women. Legal abortions will be fully covered by health insurance, and contraceptives will be free for girls aged 15 to 18. This decision was voted on in the National Assembly on October 26, 2012, for implementation in early 2013.
March 2, 2022: Legal Abortion Deadline Extended from 12 to 14 Weeks
At the beginning of 2022, France joined the European average by extending the legal deadline for abortions from 12 to 14 weeks, according to the law passed on March 2, 2022. This bill was championed by Albane Gaillot (EDS, formerly LREM) and had initially been rejected by the Senate.
March 4, 2024: Constitutional Right to Abortion
On March 4, 2024, France became the first country to enshrine the right to abortion in its constitution.France joins the world in enshrining the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG) in its Constitution. This decision was preceded by the Senate's approval of the text on February 28, with 267 votes in favor and 50 against. A month earlier, on January 30, the deputies had also voted significantly in favor of including this right in the Constitution. Finally, on March 4, 2024, the Parliament gathered in Congress in Versailles validated the introduction of « the freedom guaranteed to women to choose a voluntary termination of pregnancy » with 780 votes for and 72 against.
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