Europe and Washington are gradually diverging on social rights and values. From Europe it seems that the United States is going backwards to a society with values from many decades ago while Europeans continue to advance.
The latest decision of the US Supreme Court allowing states to ban abortion if they want was widely received by European political forces such as an attack on fundamental rights Women’s. The European Parliament responded this Thursday.
The European Parliament approved a resolution in which condemned “the setback in the rights of women that is taking place worldwide” and “in the rights to sexual and reproductive health in the United States”.
The resolution also singles out, without naming them, Poland and Malta, member states of the European Union with strict abortion bans.
The resolution was approved by a clear majority of 324 votes against 155 against and 38 abstentions. The votes against are practically all from conservative MEPs and from the extreme right.
The European Parliament condemned the ruling against abortion in the United States. Photo: AP
The text not only condemns the ruling of the US Supreme Court. It also calls on European governments to include the right to abortion in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. They want that text, basic piece of social rights in European legislation, include that “everyone has the right to a safe and legal abortion”.
Message to USA
The resolution approved this Thursday also launches a message of support for American women and girls, “as well as those who collaborate both in the provision and in the defense of the right to abortion and access to legal and safe assistance in cases of abortion in these difficult circumstances.”
MEPs do not limit themselves to condemning. They want US President Joe Biden and the US Congress to move to pass a bill “that protects abortion at the federal level.”
As for Europe, the resolution focuses on two issues. First, MEPs ask governments to monitor the money that is coming from US anti-abortion organizations to promote campaigns against women’s reproductive rights, against gender equality and against abortion in general.
The US Supreme Court ruling against abortion rights sparked strong protests. Photo: REUTERS
MEPs also call on European governments that still limit abortion to remove those restrictions, including legal, financial, social regulations and all practical obstacles that still hold back “access to abortion in some member states”.
The scope of the resolution
The resolution goes further and demands that all of Europe ensure (because not all Member States do so) “prenatal and maternal health care services and supplies, voluntary family planning, contraceptive methods, youth-friendly services, prevention, treatment, care and HIV support.
As MEPs debated and voted, the Speaker of Parliament, the Maltese Conservative Robert Metsola, felt the discomfort. Her country is one of the most restrictive regarding abortion in Europe and the issue is taboo for her political class: defending the right to a voluntary interruption of pregnancy is leaving the electoral landscape.
Brussels, special
CB
