Democratic Party president backs constitutional protection for abortion rights

"With the wording "freedom of women to have an abortion" (legal french wording: "'liberté des femmes d'avorter") in the Constitution, we are taking the approach of leaving it up to women to choose whether or not to have an abortion under certain conditions," Carole Hartmann (DP) said on RTL on Monday. That is why the party's leadership supports this wording and is clearly in favour of enshrining abortion in the Constitution.

Hartmann acknowledged that her party colleague MP Dr Gérard Schockmel plans to vote against the constitutional amendment on abortion. While he is free to do so, for Hartmann, the issue is rather about "guaranteeing women's rights in the long term," and she feels confident that the proposal will secure the required two-thirds majority in the Chamber.

Criticism has also come from within the coalition partner CSV. On RTL's Kloertext last week, Michèle Kayser-Wengler, CSV member and president of Pro Familia and infoMann, argued that while the abortion law itself should not be questioned, enshrining it in the Constitution was inappropriate. She said the Constitution exists "to protect us all, and abortion does not constitute protection."

Hartmann countered that "the freedom to decide whether or not to have an abortion protects women."

Solid cooperation with coalition partner CSV 

Hartmann, who also serves as mayor of Echternach alongside her duties as an MP, insisted the atmosphere within the coalition remains good, stating that for her party the priority is "implementing the coalition agreement." She noted that the DP and CSV had met ahead of the new parliamentary term to define key issues for the upcoming year.

On the dispute between the Association of Doctors and Dentists (AMMD) and the National Health Fund (CNS), Hartmann said the concerns of doctors must be taken seriously. She recognised the issues raised by doctors, stressing that long-overdue reforms in the health sector will be addressed through modernisation and digitalisation as outlined in the coalition agreement. These, she emphasised, will be carried out in cooperation with doctors.

Hartmann now awaits the outcome of the AMMD membership vote on 8 October, which will determine whether the association should terminate its agreement with the CNS.

Difficult social talks

"When you are in power, you are elected to take decisions and implement measures," said Hartmann, adding that therefore criticism is to be expected. What matters in the end is achieving the broadest possible consensus, which was ultimately the case for the social talks. She argued that negotiations with the social partners therefore were not a failure but a step in the right direction, even on pension reform.

Hartmann described it as regrettable that the OGBL–LCGB union front has withdrawn from the Standing Committee on Labour and Employment (CPTE). While bipartite meetings are now planned, she made clear her preference for a return to the tripartite model. where joint discussions can take place with all concerned parties.