French Senate approves a bill to make abortion a constitutional right

PARIS (AP) — France’s Senate has adopted a bill meant to enshrine a woman’s right to an abortion in the French Constitution, clearing a major hurdle. The measure was promised by President Emmanuel Macron following a rollback of abortion rights in court rulings in the United States.  Wednesday’s vote came after the lower house, the National Assembly, overwhelmingly approved the proposal in January. The measure now goes before a joint session of parliament for its expected approval by a three-fifths majority. Macron’s government wants Article 34 of the constitution amended to specify that “the law determines the conditions by which is exercised the freedom of women to have recourse to an abortion, which is guaranteed.”