Labour MEP Alfred Sant has explained why he abstained on the vote taken in the European Parliament last week to include the right to abortion in the EU Fundamental Rights Charter.

The vote passed with 336 votes in favour, 163 against and 39 abstentions.

The resolution urges the European Council to revise treaties to explicitly include sexual and reproductive healthcare and the right to safe and legal abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the MEP said.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights, including safe and legal healthcare for women, are fundamental human rights essential for upholding human dignity and achieving gender equality.

The inherent rights of women to bodily autonomy and independent decision-making must be acknowledged and respected, Sant said in his intervention at the EP.

When this relates to the complexities surrounding abortion, open and inclusive discussions have to be held within communities, respecting cultural norms while prioritizing fundamental rights.

However, these discussions should primarily occur at the national level, with minimal participation from the EU institutions and theri representatives.

“With time, reflection and experience I have increasingly come to believe that abortion should be legalised, under strict and transparent conditions of operation. However to repeat, this needs to be done at a national level, and with no EU invovlement.

“I also believe that enshrining abortion as a right in the EU charter qualifies more as a political gimmick than as a measure that really contributes new value added to the protection of women’s rights to bodily autonomy and independent decision making.

“Therefore, I chose to abstain on this resolution.”