Strasbourg – The European Parliament has supported the My Voice, My Choice initiative for safe and accessible abortion throughout the EU, launched by the Slovenian non-governmental organization Institute 8 March. Slovenian MEPs are divided over supporting the initiative. The coordinator of the initiative, Nika Kovačemphasized that this is a victory for Slovenia.
At the plenary session in Strasbourg, 358 MEPs voted in favor of the resolution supporting the citizens’ initiative, which had previously been signed by 1.1 million Europeans, 202 were against, and 79 abstained.
The non-binding resolution, among other things, calls on the European Commission to establish a voluntary financial mechanism that would make it possible to provide safe abortions for all women who, under their national legislation, do not have access to this in their own countries.
“Today I can proudly say that we have changed the history of Europe and that small Slovenia is in fact taking the fight forward,” the coordinator of the initiative, Kovač, emphasized after the vote. “This is a victory for Slovenia and for what Slovenia is in its essence,” she added at an online press conference.
Parliament first voted on a resolution by MEPs from the center-right EPP and the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), which was also signed by all five Slovenian MEPs from the European People’s Party. This resolution was not adopted.
Kovač today described the move by the Slovenian MEPs with the resolution against the initiative as miserable and pathetic political games.
Slovenian MEPs voted differently on the resolution that was adopted. The five from the European People’s Party (EPP) – Romana Tomc, Zala Tomašič, Branko Grims, Milan Zver and Matej Tonin – were against it, while Irena Joveva, Marjan Šarec (both Renew), Matjaž Nemec (S&D) and Vladimir Prebilič (Greens) supported it.
With the resolution adopted today, the European Parliament has, according to the Institute 8 March, sent a strong signal to the European Commission. The Commission accepted the initiative for consideration on 1 September and has time to respond to it until the beginning of March 2026. (17 December)
