Emotions ran high as the European Parliament voted for accessible abortions in the EU on Wednesday (17 December), passing a resolution with 358 in favour, 202 against and 79 abstentions.
There was loud applause with MEPs from various political groups embracing each other, with joy on one side and anger on the other.
The vote is based on the European Citizen’s Initiative (ECI) ‘My Voice, My Choice’ launched in 2024. The initiative has achieved over 1.2 million verified signatures across the bloc.
An ECI can be initiated by any EU citizen but requires written support from one million EU citizens from at least seven different countries within one year.
If successful, the European Commission must respond with what action, if any, it will take.
‘My Voice, My Choice’ calls on the commission to pass legislation creating a voluntary, EU-funded financial mechanism that would help member states who choose to participate provide safe abortion care for all those who currently lack access to it.
The initiative aims at supporting women who must travel across borders to access a legal abortion.
As the vote on Wednesday was on a resolution and not a legislative text, no direct consequences come from this 'yes'.
But the parliament called on the other EU institutions and national capitals to draw attention to the issue — especially as it affects some member states.
“We heard the stories of families who lost mothers, who lost people who were very dear to them. We learned that women in Malta still go to prison if they have an abortion. We learned about stories of women from Italy and Croatia who were forced to travel across the border to basically get an abortion. Because of all this, and not because we would have any hidden agenda, we decided to start with My Voice, My Choice,” said Nika Kovač, initiator of the initiative during a press conference prior to the vote.
The exact cost of such a mechanism remains unclear, but Kovač told journalists it would be a “very, very low amount” “almost like a symbolic amount in terms of the European budgets, because there are not many people who need that kind of procedure.”
After a first successful vote in the responsible committee on women's rights and gender equality (FEMM) in the parliament and a heated debate on Tuesday, the final hurdle for the initiative was passed with a vote of.
However, the path forward remains uncertain: while the initiative has sparked significant mobilisation and garnered substantial parliamentary support, it has also faced criticism from conservative voices who argue it could circumvent national sovereignty.
Health is seen as a national competence.
“It is worth mentioning that the financial mechanism does not oblige any member states to actually offer [money]. It is a voluntary measure,” lead MEP Abir Al-Sahlani of the liberal Renew Europe from Sweden told journalists.
However, objections from some member states remain. Activists from My Voice My Choice are already approaching governments to gain support for their initiative, but an outcome is difficult to predict, said Al-Sahlani.
“But the beauty of this proposal is that this will not cost the member state that is willing to offer the healthcare facility and the healthcare service anything. And it will not cost the woman anything,” she added.
'My Voice, My Choice' had a chance to present their demands directly to the commission on 1 October 2025.
In November 2025, the FEMM committee adopted a draft resolution supporting the initiative by a vote of 26 to 12, with support from five different political groups.
Following the established ECI process, the commission has until March 2026 — that is, within six months of the initiative's submission — to spell out what action, if any, it will propose in response. The commission is obliged to respond to the ECI regardless of parliament's support.
Even if the commission proposes action, sustained pressure from activists will be essential, as past ECI have shown that commission endorsement does not always translate into concrete policy changes.
Every month, hundreds of thousands of people read the journalism and opinion published by EUobserver. With your support, millions of others will as well.
If you're not already, become a supporting member today.
Hannah Kriwak is a junior reporter from Austria at EUobserver, covering European politics.
Hannah Kriwak is a junior reporter from Austria at EUobserver, covering European politics.