Abortion Law Reform in France

The abortion issue tests the conflict resolution capabilities of a political system. The reform statute passed in 1974 in France is one of the most liberal in the West and -one of the few in which lawmakers accepted a woman’s right to choose to interrupt her pregnancy. Yet it is filled with administrative hurdles making cumbersome the exercise of that right. This study explains how the policymaking process determined the content of the reform. Conclusions show the effectiveness of feminist groups exerting outside initiative in defining the issue, the reinforcement of their demands by political parties and legislators, and the leadership and will of the President and his Minister in making the final policy choice.