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Reform of the Belgian Penal Code: "loss of pregnancy" regarded as an attack on personal integrity
The new Books I and II of the Belgian Penal Code were adopted by the Federal Parliament on 22 February 2024. Article 79, 17° defines offences against personal integrity, which now include "loss of pregnancy". This is defined as "the act of terminating a pregnancy prematurely, against the will of...
News Abortion
Abortion: the European Parliament calls for complete decriminalisation
On 11 April 2024, the European Parliament voted (336 in favour, 163 against and 39 abstentions) for a resolution to amend Article 3 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union to include the right to...
News Abortion
Constitutionalisation of abortion in France: a high-risk symbol
At Versailles on Monday 4 March 2024, French parliamentarians meeting in Congress voted 780 to 52 to include the freedom to have an abortion in the Constitution. The single article aimed at amending article 34 of the...
News Abortion
Protection of the embryo: the Alabama Supreme Court recognises that embryos are "unborn children"
In a ruling handed down on 16 February, the Alabama Supreme Court declared that embryos frozen for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) must be considered as "unborn children" and are therefore protected by law.
News Abortion
France and Belgium: abortion remains an icon of ideological battles
On January 30, at the French National Assembly, a large majority of deputies voted in favor of a bill to enshrine women’s “guaranteed freedom” to have an abortion in the Constitution. The text still has to be examined by the Senate on February 28. However, it will only be incorporated...
News Abortion
Sexuality and abortion: The European Parliament Adopts the Matic Report
In plenary session in Brussels on Thursday June 24, the European Parliament adopted (378 votes in favor; 255 against; 42 abstentions) the resolution and report "On the situation of sexual and reproductive health and...
Paper Abortion
The psychological consequences of abortion
Identifying the the psychological consequences of abortion is complicated for our society, because talking about them leads the audience to think that the proposed approach calls into question the decriminalisation of...