Paris (AFP)

After three days of fierce debate, the National Assembly on Friday gave its green light to the opening of the PMA to all women, flagship measure of the bill bioethics and first major societal reform of the five-year Macron.

This Article 1 of the vast draft law, considered in first reading, was adopted with applause by 55 votes to 17, with 3 abstentions, with several political groups being divided.

Medically assisted procreation (PMA), which makes it possible to have a child by means of various medical techniques (artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization ...), is currently reserved for heterosexual couples. This widened PMA to lesbian couples and single women, strongly opposed by the right, will be reimbursed by Social Security.

"It is possible thanks to science, it is desirable for our society, for the diversity of families and all that they have to offer," tweeted the Minister of Health Agnès Buzyn.

The majority and the left support Emmanuel Macron's campaign commitment as a measure of "equality". Ten EU countries already allow it.

The minister is seeking final passage of the bill before the summer.

Since the beginning of the exchanges, deputies on the right and far right have denounced a "fatherless PMA" leading inevitably to gestation by others (GPA), even if the government insists that it remains "a absolutely forbidden in France ".

"The progressive majority tramples the rights of the child and despises paternity (...) All in the street the # 6October", called on Twitter La Manif for all. Some elected LR and RN should parade alongside him, six years after the law on gay marriage that had ignited the country.

At this stage, debates in the hemicycle, enamelled only a few flashes like those from Agnès Thill (former LREM), remained generally courteous. But the battle is raging on social networks, going as far as threats to MP Pro-PMA Maxime Minot.

Not surprisingly, he voted for Article 1, while his colleague LR Damien Abad abstained.

- "Gamete male" -

Other elected members voted in opposition to the majority of their group: LREM, Blandine Brocard, Marie Tamarelle-Verhaeghe and Liliana Tanguy, reluctant to the PMA for single women, voted against and two other "walkers" abstained; at MoDem, Jean-Louis Bourlanges voted against.

All groups had left the freedom of vote.

This key article has barely been reworked by MPs, including the amendments for the PMA to transgender men or the post-mortem PMA were rejected.

On the other hand, LREM deputies added that the PMA "is intended to respond to a parental project", in a show of hands, the result of which was contested by LR. At the perch, sovereign Richard Ferrand did not return on it.

In the final points of friction on Friday, the repayment of the PMA by the Sécu for couples of women and single women, for a cost of 15 million euros annual additional, was the subject of a salvo of amendments of the right.

"Could not we put this considerable money elsewhere?" Asked Marc Le Fur (LR). "It has nothing to do with a state of health", these women just ask "the male gamete", judged Pascal Brindeau (UDI and independent).

Without this reimbursement, there would be a "risk of depriving the most modest," said Secretary of State Adrien Taquet. "This right (to the PMA) must be effective" according to Aurore Bergé (LREM), not "censitaire", added George Pau-Langevin (PS).

The debate will continue for another ten days, before a solemn vote on October 15 on the bill as a whole. On the menu again Friday: self-preservation of eggs and access to the origins of children born by donation.

The maintenance of the night session Monday makes it creak, after the death Thursday of Jacques Chirac, to whom the day will be dedicated. "Strange conception of national mourning," lamented Hervé Saulignac, socialist co-rapporteur.

© 2019 AFP