The European Parliament has voted in favour of the European Citizens’ Initiative My Voice, My Choice, calling for safe and accessible abortion across Europe. The next step now lies with the European Commission, which is expected to develop concrete measures.
The European Parliament has taken a significant step toward protecting women’s rights in Europe, particularly reproductive rights. On 17 December 2025, with 358 votes in favour, 202 against, and 79 abstentions, Parliament backed the European Citizens’ Initiative “My Voice, My Choice – for safe and accessible abortion”, promoted by the Slovenian organisation Inštitut 8. marec. The initiative had collected more than 1.1 million signatures, far exceeding the thresholds required for consideration by EU institutions.
Meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg, Members of the European Parliament approved a non-binding resolution calling on the European Commission to develop concrete tools to ensure access to voluntary termination of pregnancy for all women across the European Union, including in countries where national legislation is restrictive.
The text adopted by Parliament urges the Commission to study and propose a voluntary financial mechanism, supported by EU funds, aimed at assisting people who cannot access safe and legal abortion in their own country.
Parliament’s decision comes at a time when access to abortion varies widely across the EU. In countries such as France, abortion is a well-established right, protected even at the constitutional level. In other member states, however, severe restrictions remain, resulting in limited access or significant practical barriers.
These disparities underpin support for the initiative: more than 20 million women in Europe still live in contexts where abortion is not fully accessible or safe. While non-binding, the resolution marks a turning point in the debate on reproductive rights, placing safe access to abortion firmly at the centre of the human rights agenda in Europe.