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United in Crisis: Abortion Politics in the European Parliament and Political Groups' Disputes over EU Values

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  • Valentine Berthet

Abstract

Safe and legal access to abortion is precondition for gender equality. Yet, in many EU Member States they remain controversial, endangered or absent. Recently, the European Parliament passed a resolution articulating a defence for a right to abortion in the EU: the Matić resolution. Via an analysis of debates and parliamentary processes around the resolution, this article analyses the different discursive constructions of a right to abortion within the EP by political groups, the different meanings attributed to EU values during abortion debates, and the impact of these constructions on gender equality policymaking in the EP. It found that internal attacks on abortion were increasingly constructed as alien to EU values despite efforts by opponents to reframe such values. Although EU values are undefined, attempts to renegotiate a common EU identity around shared values, even symbolically, are possible because they are dynamic and prone to facilitating unity during crises.

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  • Valentine Berthet, 2022. "United in Crisis: Abortion Politics in the European Parliament and Political Groups' Disputes over EU Values," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(6), pages 1797-1814, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jcmkts:v:60:y:2022:i:6:p:1797-1814
    DOI: 10.1111/jcms.13378
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Heather Macrae, 2010. "The EU as a Gender Equal Polity: Myths and Realities," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1), pages 155-174, January.
    2. repec:bla:jcmkts:v:48:y:2010:i::p:155-174 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Emanuela Lombardo & Johanna Kantola, 2019. "European Integration and Disintegration: Feminist Perspectives on Inequalities and Social Justice," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(S1), pages 62-76, September.
    4. Mieke Verloo & David Paternotte, 2018. "The Feminist Project under Threat in Europe," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(3), pages 1-5.
    5. Andrea Krizsan & Conny Roggeband, 2018. "Towards a Conceptual Framework for Struggles over Democracy in Backsliding States: Gender Equality Policy in Central Eastern Europe," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(3), pages 90-100.
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