The Citizens’ Initiative “My Voice, My Choice,” which advocates for safe and accessible abortion across the European Union, has successfully gathered one million signatures, surpassing the threshold required for the European Commission to issue an official response.
The initiative has also exceeded the necessary support in 15 EU countries—more than double the seven countries required.
“We managed to connect the entire EU and build a network across Europe. Most importantly, we clearly demonstrated that the right to freely decide about childbirth is a shared value across Europe,” said Nika Kovač, campaign coordinator, in a press release.
Led by the Slovenian non-profit 8th of March Institute, the initiative calls on the European Commission to introduce measures that ensure all EU citizens, regardless of nationality or residence, have access to safe and legal abortion services.
With one million signatures now collected, the European Commission is required to formally respond to the initiative in a communication adopted by the College of Commissioners, which will decide on the potential next steps. Safe abortion access has been a key topic of discussion among European institutions.
In April, the European Parliament voted in favor of including abortion access in the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights, a largely symbolic measure due to its non-binding nature. Enshrining abortion access as a full right would require unanimous support from all 27 member states.
Disagreements on abortion issues were a contributing factor in the reshuffling of portfolios within the European Commission, with Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi losing responsibility for sexual and reproductive health, which was moved to Equality Commissioner Hadja Lahbib.
“It’s a member state competence, so we will need an agreement from all of us. We will need this unanimity, but I hope that we will be able to protect women’s lives,” Lahbib said during her first appearance before the Parliament’s public health committee.
She also emphasized that it is unacceptable for abortion access to vary so significantly between EU member states, arguing that it only “increases the social differences and the gaps among the member states.”
