A bill extending the period of abortion from 12 to 14 weeks must be examined on Monday in the National Assembly.

The text, which almost went by the wayside, was finally taken up for second reading by the LREM group with the idea of ​​crediting it with a left-wing societal marker.

The text, prepared by the environmental deputy Albane Gaillot (ex-LREM), provides in particular for the extension of the legal period of the voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion) from 12 to 14 weeks, arousing strong opposition from “pro-life” associations. »And conversely the support of organizations in favor of women's rights.

"Marketing tool"

It is the boss of the "walkers" in the Assembly Christophe Castaner who caught up by the sleeve a text that some imagined buried, after remarks in July by Emmanuel Macron in the magazine

Elle

. The Head of State said he was "not in favor" of the extension to 14 weeks, the abortion being "more traumatic in these times". The bill had been adopted at first reading in the National Assembly in October 2020, despite an equivocal position of the government. The Minister of Health Olivier Véran had relied on the "wisdom" of the deputies. Within the executive, some showed their prudence, even their frank opposition. The Senate dominated by the right then rejected the text.

A second reading at the Palais Bourbon, as part of a niche of the socialist group, had collapsed in February 2021, the fault of a slew of amendments from several radically hostile LR deputies. Assuming a "disagreement" with the Head of State, Christophe Castaner had promised to re-register the text in the Assembly. "If we want to guarantee a real and equal right to those which must be protected, it is necessary to lengthen the deadlines," the former minister said in October. “Christophe Castaner is a seasoned politician who knows how to send signals. Politically, the text is a tool which can be at the service of LREM policy and can allow speaking to an electorate needing to be reassured: the center-left ”, decrypts Albane Gaillot. However, she warns: “this should not be just a marketing tool! ".

Blessing of the Elysee

“Macronist politics have two legs.

The left must be able to move forward in turn, ”adds LREM deputy Cécile Muschotti.

Another walker is less going: “Christophe Castaner makes a sort of progressive banner, with a view to his legislative campaign.

He also uses it to prove that he is capable of imposing something on the president.

But this halo of instrumentalization of the text on such a subject does not put me very at ease ”.

"I do not do things behind the back of the" PR "," slips now Christophe Castaner, suggesting to the whole majority that his initiative has the tacit blessing of the Elysee.

The planets appear to be aligned for women's access to this extension.

The national ethics advisory committee gave the green light and during its examination in committee, the text was amended on another of its controversial measures: the specific conscience clause.

This allows a doctor in the name of his convictions to refuse to perform an abortion.

Instead of removing the clause, as initially planned, "we maintain this possibility but we force the doctor to redirect the patient," notes Cécile Muschotti.

Complicated under this term

In addition, if nearly 500 amendments, including 90% of LR, remain on the menu, the deputies have all week to come to terms with them. The fact remains that the bill must still make a shuttle with the Senate by the end of the parliamentary session, at the end of February. Problem: no group wants to register it at the Luxembourg Palace, neither the “walking” senators, nor the Socialists. The first because they already have their own texts to defend, the second because they do not want to give Macronie a gift.

"It will be complicated to definitively adopt the text under this term of office," admits Cécile Muschotti who however argues the hypothesis of rapid adoption in the event of renewal of the majority in 2022. In the meantime, 160 parliamentarians, personalities and organizations are signing a forum in the

JDD

calling for a vote on this text, recalling that the right to abortion is "a central issue for equal rights between women and men", while it is "seriously threatened", "including in some European countries ”.

  • The Republic on the Move (LREM)

  • Christophe Castaner

  • Law Project

  • Womens rights

  • Deputy

  • National Assembly

  • Ivg

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