Recent years have seen significant shifts in abortion laws in Europe, with many countries moving toward expanding access to safe abortion, while others are moving in the opposite direction, adhering to more restrictive positions. France became the first country in the world to constitutionally guarantee the right to abortion, providing stronger legal protections than ordinary laws. In the United Kingdom, legal restrictions have been eased, preventing women from being prosecuted for terminating a pregnancy after the legal term (24 weeks). However, doctors who assist in some cases may still face legal consequences. In a historic move, Malta eased its ban on abortion in 2023, allowing it when the woman's life is at risk. This followed a highly controversial incident in 2022 when a woman was forced to travel to Spain for the procedure after local doctors refused to intervene. Italy permits abortion during the first 90 days of pregnancy. Yet practical access remains limited, as nearly two-thirds of gynecologists refuse to perform the procedure for religious or moral reasons. Spain passed a 2023 law that allows girls aged 16 and 17 to access abortion without parental consent and removed the previously mandatory reflection period. Germany and Ireland allow abortion up to 12 weeks in cases involving risks to the mother's life or fatal fetal anomalies. However, Germany still includes abortion in its criminal code, which can create legal risks for both women and doctors. In contrast, countries such as Poland have imposed severe restrictions. A 2020 constitutional court ruling banned abortion in nearly all cases except for rape, incest, or life-threatening conditions. Hungary requires compulsory counseling before an abortion. Although its constitution protects the fetus from conception, it does not criminalize abortion. Small countries such as Liechtenstein, Monaco, Andorra, and the Faroe Islands continue to maintain strict, restrictive laws that prohibit most abortions.

Against this backdrop, a pressing question remains: Will political and religious pressure roll back recent progress, or will Europe stand firm in protecting women's reproductive rights from a growing conservative wave?

Compiled from: Emma Batha and Joanna Gill; Editing by Lyndsay Griffiths, Jon Hemming, Helen Popper and Ellen Wulfhorst, Abortion laws in Europe - legal rollbacks and progress, Context, June 18, 2025.