European Parliament Committee Demands EU Funding for Abortion

On September 1, the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) operating within the European Parliament, presented its position on the proposed European Union budget for the year 2026. A number of far-reaching proposals were submitted to the text prepared for the EP Committee on Budgets, relating to the issue of so-called abortion on demand.

One of the amendments submitted by a group of Members of the European Parliament, including Polish MEP Elżbieta Łukacijewska (from PM Donald Tusk’s Civic Platform/EPP), includes a proposal to supplement the health policies of the member states within the EU4Health program (created after the COVID-19 pandemic) with, among other things, “the provision of sexual and reproductive health services.” Leftist movements understand this vague and imprecise term to include, among others, a right to abortion. The authors justify their amendments by stating that “sexual and reproductive health and rights are an integral part of human rights and must be at the heart of the EU health policy,” and the program “must facilitate the provision of cross-border services to ensure equal access to services such as safe and legal abortion for all EU citizens.”

An identical amendment to the proposal described above was also submitted by Polish MEP Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus (New Left/S&D – also part of the governing coalition in Poland).

Irena Montero, a Member of the European Parliament from the Spanish far left party Podemos (a member of PM Sánchez’ coalition in Spain), submitted in turn an amendment which proposes to increase budgetary resources allocated to supporting “universal respect for and access to SRHR, including access to free, safe and legal abortion in health public service,” and “demands the allocation of resources for sexual and reproductive health under the EU4Health.” The Spanish MEP motivates her proposal by the activities of the “extreme right,” which, in her opinion, challenges women’s access to “reproductive and sexual rights” throughout the European Union.

One of the further amendments, submitted on behalf of the FEMM Commission itself, proposes the establishment of a “Chair-Observatory on Gender Equality and Democracy” by the European University Institute. The proposed institution would “address the pressing challenge of anti-gender movements, which undermine democratic values, human rights and gender equality.” As a justification for such steps, it is pointed to the “gender backlash led by far-right activists and political forces, as well as religious factions of various creeds.“

Further conclusions include, among others, ensuring additional resources to “gender mainstreaming” in the activities of civil society organizations. In this context, it refers to organizations working on behalf of so-called sexual and reproductive rights.

All the presented amendments were adopted by the FEMM Committee at its meeting on Monday, September 1, although they clearly exceed its competence, as the regulation of abortion is an exclusive prerogative of each EU member state under the EU treaties.

“Over the past few months in the non-governmental organization sector, we have seen significant turmoil, primarily due to these entities being cut off from funding from the American government program, USAID. President Trump’s decision in this matter has caused many difficulties for a significant portion of organizations representing the left-liberal ideological spectrum. It is also in this context that the amendments submitted to the FEMM Committee’s position on the European Union budget should be considered. Many left-wing entities involved in supporting or lobbying for the right to ‘abortion on demand’ have found themselves in a difficult financial situation. This example clearly shows that various European Union institutions, including the European Parliament in this case, are attempting to fill the gap thus created,” commented Patryk Ignaszczak from the Ordo Iuris International Law Center.