The final vote through which France has enshrined the access to abortion in the constitution has been hailed as a “historic” move that should inspire others in Europe and the world.

But the long debate that sent the text from one chamber to the other for months shows that making the voluntary termination of pregnancies (IVF in French) a fundamental right was not a move everyone in society supported.

Against the spirit of Simone Veil's abortion law

Among those who lamented the final decision is the Council of Evangelical Christians in France (CNEF), which unites most evangelical denominations and churches.

In a statement, the CNEF looked back at the aims of the abortion law, first introduced around fifty years ago. “On 15 January 1975, the [Simone] Veil law enshrined voluntary termination of pregnancy as the last resort for situations with no way out. The exception was to be the principle. Distress was to be the criterion”, states the evangelical body.

“In a solemn speech, Madame Simone Veil warned of the importance of not losing sight of the ‘exceptional nature’ of this recourse, in order to avoid society ‘appearing to encourage it’ and undertaking, as far as possible, to dissuade its practice. Reassuringly, the Minister concluded her speech by saying that we owed it to future generations to ‘preserve the supreme value of life’”.

Now, says the CNEF, “the two Houses of Parliament, meeting in Congress, are placing women’s freedom to resort to abortion at the very top of the hierarchy of norms. Guaranteed freedom becomnes the principle. The situation of distress has been removed from the law. From a decriminalisation provision and an exceptional measure, we move towards a constitutional right”.

Evangelicals remain committed to “sanctity of life from its inception”

The Christian worldview of evangelicals in France means that they are “committed to the sanctity of life from its inception”. At the same time, the CNEF is “aware that we live in a secularised, pluralist society” in which citizens of different worldviews and ideas coexist.

Résolument du côté des femmes en situation de fragilité, et particulièrement conscients avec Madame Simone VEIL que l’avortement est toujours « un échec quand il n’est pas un drame », les protestants évangéliques de France appellent le gouvernement à veiller à offrir...

— Romain CHOISNET (@comcnef) March 1, 2024

This said, the Evangelical Council expresses its “concern about the risks posed by this constitutionalisation”. By ‘guaranteeing a woman's freedom to have recourse to abortion’, as the reformed article of the constitution will read, “the CNEF fears that the right of medical staff to conscientious objection will be undermined”.

The representative of evangelical denominations also “fears that freedom of expression and freedom of opinion will also be eroded. Since in a democratic society, opinions and convictions may differ, guarantees of respect in these areas would be welcome, as provided for in article 10 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen”.

Freedom of conscience and of expression

“Resolutely on the side of women in vulnerable situations, and particularly aware with Madame Simone Veil that abortion is always ‘a failure when it is not a tragedy’, the Evangelical Protestants of France call on the government to ensure that women who so wish are offered the freedom and the means to keep or entrust their child”, adds the statement.

“For these women and for those who make a different choice, our communities want to remain places of welcome that show the love, grace and life that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings”, the CNEF concludes.

Abortion, a political 'dogma' in France

Earlier, the Protestant Committee for Human Dignity, also led by evangelical Christians, expressed its rejection of a constitutional change they said was the consequence of abortion becoming “a political dogma” in France.

Surveys published in the media said over 8 in 10 citizens where in favour of enshrining abortion in the constitution, in what President Emmanuel Macron presented as a personal initiative.