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Focus on the Fifth Republic: the right to abortion
The right to abortion allows women to end a pregnancy. They do not risk being punished by the law.
Key points of the sheet
- Every woman, with no age condition, can have an abortion (IVG) within a regulated framework. Minors do not need parental permission, but an adult of their choice must go with them.
- Since the "Veil" law of 17 January 1975, abortion is decriminalised. Simone Veil, then Minister of Health, presented and supported this law.
- This right is a great step forward for women. They can decide about their own body, control their fertility and have an abortion in safe and supervised conditions.
- Since 1975, laws have improved the care for abortion. Women get psychological and financial support from the State: social security (sécurité sociale) covers abortion at 100%.
- Women also have good health conditions for an abortion. They can have an abortion anonymously.
- On 4 March 2024, Parliament wrote women's right to have an abortion (IVG) into the Constitution. France is the first country in the world to do this.
Words to know
- abortion (IVG)
- IVG means voluntary termination of pregnancy. Every woman can have one within a regulated framework.
- decriminalised (dépénalisé)
- Since 1975, abortion is decriminalised: the law no longer punishes it.
- the "Veil" law (loi "Veil")
- It is the law of 17 January 1975, presented and supported by Simone Veil, then Minister of Health.
- right to abortion (droit à l'avortement)
- This right allows women to end a pregnancy without risk of being punished by the law.
Test yourself: 3 questions
In which year did the "Veil" law decriminalise abortion?
In French, the language of the exam: En quelle année la loi "Veil" dépénalise-t-elle l'avortement ?
The "Veil" law of 17 January 1975 decriminalises abortion.
Which is the first country in the world to write abortion (IVG) into its Constitution?
In French, the language of the exam: Quel est le premier pays au monde à inscrire l'IVG dans sa Constitution ?
France is the first country in the world to write abortion (IVG) into its Constitution, on 4 March 2024.
At what level does social security (sécurité sociale) cover abortion?
In French, the language of the exam: À quel niveau la Sécurité sociale prend-elle en charge l'avortement ?
The sheet says that social security (sécurité sociale) covers abortion at 100%.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
More in this topic (The Fifth Republic)
- The presidents of the Fifth Republic (Vème République)
- Focus on the Fifth Republic: the abolition of the death penalty
- Focus on the Fifth Republic: marriage for all
Source
Sheet “Focus sur la Vème République : le droit à l'avortement” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.