News

PARIS, July 6, 2001 (LSN.ca) – France’s Paris-based Constitutional Council has ruled that a recently-passed bill allowing later abortion in France is also enforceable in its overseas territories, including French Polynesia. In April, the French Socialist government France passed a law increasing the legal limit for abortions from 10 weeks to 12 weeks. However, a clause in the bill forced French Polynesia to publicly fund abortions, as has been done in France for some 25 years.

The colony’s strong religious tradition prevented the law’s implementation and Polynesia rejected the clause. Gaston Flosse, president of the French overseas territory that includes Tahiti and other islands, asked the French Senate to amend the law. The Senate refused and sent the matter to the Constitutional Court for a ruling.

See the coverage from ABC Australia:  https://www.abc.net.au/ra/newsdaily/s324041.htm

See related LifeSite coverage:  https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2001/apr/010426.html#4