Activists behind a campaign calling for EU-wide abortion rights are urging people to vote against a far-right surge in the European Parliament.
Campaigners will gather Friday evening in Hénin-Beaumont, South of Lille in France, where National Rally leader Jordan Bardella and former leader Marine Le Pen are set to host a party meeting.
“Usually no one dares to come and tell them, ‘we don’t agree with you,’” said Alice Coffin, coordinator of the My Voice, My Choice campaign in France. “And this is what my My Voice, My Choice will be doing tonight. We’re having a counter meeting called ‘feminists against far right’.”
The groups are behind the European Citizens’ Initiative “My Voice, My Choice,” which asks the European Commission to establish a fund to help women access abortion care in countries with more liberal laws. They are calling for political participation to ensure that the next EU representatives will stand behind their initiative.
“We need to elect people in the institutions who will be sharing our opinion about free and accessible abortion around Europe, who will be standing with us and behind our initiative,” said leading activist Nika Kovač from the 8th of March Institute campaign group. “And that’s why these European elections are also important for us.”
So far, the campaign has collected over 300,000 signatures out of the 1 million needed for the Commission to examine its plea, activists said Friday during a press conference. But as June draws closer, they’re ramping up their efforts to mobilize voters, including organizing protests and demonstrations to draw attention to their cause.
Source: Politico
