French woman’s petition asks Europe to support mothers facing pressure to abort

Appearing before the European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions on June 23, French activist Charlène Bernard, who had launched a petition on maternity protection, recounted the ordeal that led her to undergo a forced abortion.

Bernard’s petition asks whether European institutions and member states are doing enough to protect women who wish to continue their pregnancies when they face pressure from partners, medical professionals, or difficult social circumstances.

Focusing on maternity protection and support for vulnerable pregnant women, her petition has drawn backing from pro-life civil society groups including the European Centre for Law and Justice as well as support across several political groups in Parliament, most notably the European People’s Party, the European Conservatives and Reformists, Patriots for Europe, and Europe of Sovereign Nations.

Her petition also lands in a French context that suggests the issue merits closer scrutiny. According to a 2024 IFOP survey , 29% of French women who underwent an abortion said they felt pressure to abort from the health professional they consulted. Applied to France’s 251,270 abortions in 2024, that would suggest on the…