The chairmanship of the Council of the European Union rotates among the countries of the European Union every six months, and for the next six months it is President Emmanuel Macron of France’s turn. So it was that on January 19th, Macron went to Brussels to give his first speech. Usually this is a mishmash of platitudes, but this year Macron decided to use it to promote abortion. [1]
Up to now, the meddlesome, unelected Brussels bureaucrats have not been allowed to meddle in those countries which have laws protecting life. For example, when Malta joined the EU, it specified that it is pro-life and that the EU is not allowed to impose abortion on it. That clause is still in force.
The EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights is the closest thing to a “Constitution” that the European Union has. And there is no mention of any right to abortion in any of its 154 articles. Indeed, Article 2.1. states: “Everyone has the right to life.” [2]
Over the past year, Brussels bureaucrats and Leftist Members of Parliament have started pushing for abortion “rights”. PRI has reported on these maneuvers. [3] [4] But Macron’s move marks a significant escalation: this is the first time that the president of a country has openly called for imposing abortion on all the others.
The Charter can only be amended by a unanimous vote from all EU countries. [5] Currently, Malta, Poland, and Hungary pose obstacles because their laws forbid abortions. Slovenia and Slovakia would resist as well. So, Macron’s push for abortion will not bring about immediate change.
But it is a serious threat to life. As Jaime Mayor Oreja, former president of the People’s Party Bloc in the European Parliament and current president of the One of Us Platform (of which PRI-Europe is a member), says: “The Macron’s action is extraordinarily serious. It is a declaration of war against life. Macron has left no doubt about what he wants for European culture.”
If Macron wins re-election in France next April, and with Germany’s Angela Merkel gone, he will become the most powerful leader in Europe. And he has just publicly announced that he wants to make abortion an officially recognized EU right. The Progressives and Leftists in France and throughout the EU cheered.
PRI sources in the European Parliament informed us that on January 20, at the meeting of the Commission on Sexual and Reproductive Health, out of 40 parliamentarians present, at least 30 spoke in favor of Macron’s proposal. The battle has already begun in the corridors of Brussels.
New European Parliament President
There are other signs that the pro-abortion agenda is on the march in the EU. A new president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, was elected a few days ago who represents Malta and is a member of the conservative People’s Party (conservatives). She has always been openly against abortion.
Until now. Ambition or pressure from the Brussels bureaucracy may have led her to change her position.
What is certain is that during her nomination speech before the vote, Metsola did not mention abortion even once. [6] Instead, she pledged to President Macron to support his policies on “women’s rights”. [7]
As reported by Euronews.com: “The press conference that followed her election on Tuesday morning quickly became dominated by abortion. To dispel further doubts, the president promised to stop voting altogether – in all sorts of political matters – and to always follow the position taken by the hemicycle [parliament]. “The position of the parliament is unambiguous and unequivocal, and that is also my position,” she told Euronews in an attempt to shut down the controversy surrounding her investiture.” [8]
Has Metsola completely abandoned her pro-life principles or is this merely a temporary tactical retreat? In any event, pro-life sources within the European Parliament told us they were disappointed.
Last week was not a good week for the cause of Life in Europe. We have a president of France who wants to invent a right to abortion and a new president of the Parliament who we all thought was pro-life, but in reality, may not be at all. The cultural battle In Europe will be very intense in the coming months.
Backlash Against Macron’s Abortion Stance
The reactions against Macron’s push for abortion were immediate.
The One of Us Federation, which brings together more than 40 European associations, declared: “Our Federation raises its voice in defense of the weakest, the unborn baby, and reminds the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union of the insurmountable value of life and the dignity of every human being. The future of Europe cannot in any way be based on the right to abortion without the risk of extinction.” [9]
Lola Velarde, Executive Director of Political Network for Values, declares: “Macron’s attempt to force the Member States to legalize the crime of abortion, against the deepest values of millions of Europeans, is nothing but a sign of this disguised totalitarianism that he identifies as a threat to Europe.”
Herman Tersch, MEP of the Spanish Vox Party, responded to Macron in the same Euro chamber: “You are implementing measures under the pretext of Covid that look like the Chinese measures. These are violations of the Rule of Law. … your ideological war on Poland and Hungary is unprecedented! You have not said a word about family, natality, that problem. And it turns out that abortion is your priority!” [10]
Alejandro Navas, a prestigious sociologist, wrote: “European weakness will be increased if abortion spreads even further. After all, the population is the main resource of countries for the economy and geopolitics. To identify abortion with strength is blindness or suicidal ideology.”
Vincenzo Bassi, President of FAFCE (Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe), represents 27 national and local associations, declared: “The recognition of an alleged right to abortion would moreover be in flagrant contradiction to the Charter itself, which enshrines in its first two articles the inviolability of human dignity and the right to life.” [11]
One of Europe’s greatest achievements is precisely the recognition of human dignity and freedom.
We at PRI will stand shoulder to shoulder with our European pro-life allies to mobilize and defend these rights.
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Carlos Beltramo, Ph.D., is the Director of the European Office of the Population Research Institute.
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[2] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/charter/pdf/text_en.pdf
[3] https://www.pop.org/will-abortion-throughout-all-nine-months-of-pregnancy-be-declared-a-human-right/
[4] “Saving Babies Now a Crime, Say European Bureaucrats” in https://www.pop.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/PRI-Review-2021-Nov-Dec_web.pdf
[5] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/council-eu/voting-system/unanimity/
[6] https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/video/election-of-the-president-of-parliament_I216945
[7] https://twitter.com/i/status/1483859889508261890
