To applause, the National Assembly voted again on Wednesday evening to open the PMA to all women, a flagship measure of the bioethics bill examined at second reading, despite strong opposition from the right. Passionately debated since Tuesday evening, this article 1 of the vast bill was adopted by 66 votes to 27, and 3 abstentions, several political groups being divided.
Medically assisted procreation (PMA), which makes it possible to have a child using different medical techniques (artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, etc.), is currently reserved for heterosexual couples. Emmanuel Macron's campaign promise, this PMA extended to lesbian couples and single women, supported by the majority and the left, will be reimbursed by Social Security.
Postmortem ART and pairing rejected
As wished by the government, the deputies voted for a version of this article 1 almost identical to that resulting from the first reading last October. Despite divisions in the majority, they thus again rejected post-mortem ART, with gametes from a deceased spouse, or the opening up of ART to transgender men. Same fate for the donation of oocytes in a couple of women (technique known as ROPA), in which the right saw a "shift towards surrogacy" (GPA, recourse to a surrogate mother).
The Assembly deleted another addition made recently in committee, concerning pairing (search for a donor with similar characteristics, in particular physical). This widespread practice is contrary to the "spirit" of the bill, which is to "lift the taboo" on assisted reproduction, and not to sow "confusion" by a physical resemblance to the parent (s), have justified several LREM deputies.
Right-wing amendments voted
Very mobilized in the hemicycle, the right mainly carried the iron against this article 1, object alone of more than 550 amendments, on the some 2,300 that the deputies must examine by the end of the week. The LR have tirelessly denounced the creation of "orphans of fathers" or the risk of a "commodification of procreation", reaffirming their concern that the opening of the PMA does "inevitably" lead to surrogacy.
The Minister of Health Olivier Véran opposed that "love is the basis of the family home", extolling a new right for "thousands of families who will make thousands of children". Small satisfaction for the main opposition group: the Assembly voted an LR amendment specifying that the members of the couple are indeed "two". Its author Xavier Breton was worried to see one day a "couple with three", in other words a "herd", wanting a child.
And thanks to the votes of the LR, an amendment by the anti-PMA "walker" for all Blandine Brocard was adopted, which provides for the submission to the candidates of "conclusions of the latest studies" on "the medical disorders caused" by PMA.