Feminists sound warning for women's rights if far right wins French elections
While France's National Rally is enjoying record support from women voters, feminists warn that a win for the far-right party would mean a step backwards for fundamental rights.
Thousands of people took to the streets on Sunday to sound the alarm over what they call a danger to reproductive rights in particular.
Around 34,000 protesters joined more than 50 rallies across France, according to police, though organisers put the figure at over 100,000.
It came a week before the country was due to vote in the first round of snap parliamentary elections, for which polls put the National Rally (RN) and its allies in the lead.
"Every time the far right comes to power somewhere, it attacks the right to abortion – I don't see why France would be any exception," Sarah Durocher, head of reproductive rights organisation Planning Familial, told reporters.
Abortion rights are better protected in France than many other countries, having been written into the constitution earlier this year – with the support of 46 of the RN's 88 members of parliament.
But as legal experts have warned, that wouldn't stop a future government erecting logistical roadblocks to make terminating a pregnancy harder, such as reducing the legal time limit or restricting abortion drugs.
Wooing women's votes
Read more on RFI English
Read also:
How France's far-right National Rally finally hooked the women's vote
Women's long battle to vote in France and the generations who fought it
Growing 'masculinist' culture in France slows down fight against sexism
