Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that he will present to Parliament a constitutional reform to explicitly guarantee the right to abortion. He stressed that the aim is to “enshrine the freedom and autonomy of women,” amid a global wave of setbacks against sexual and reproductive rights. 

The announcement followed controversy over a measure passed by Madrid’s City Council at Vox’s initiative, requiring health professionals to inform women about a so-called “post-abortion syndrome,” which lacks scientific basis.

Even Madrid’s mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, admitted that the condition is not medically recognized. 

Sánchez sharply criticized the Popular Party and the far right, vowing that his government will not allow “misleading or unscientific information” about abortion.

He also pledged to reform Royal Decree 825/2010 and bring forward a legislative proposal to constitutionalize abortion rights, in line with the Constitutional Court’s 2023 ruling recognizing voluntary termination of pregnancy as an essential right. 

Spain: 40 years of historical precedent

The proposal coincides with the 40th anniversary of Spain’s legalization of abortion. At the commemorative event, Equality Minister Ana Redondo highlighted France’s recent constitutional reform as a model to follow. “

When rights are constitutionally recognized, they are protected even when political majorities shift,” she emphasized. 

Health Minister Mónica García echoed the sentiment, stating that “it would be worthwhile for our Constitution to recognize the right to abortion.” If approved, Spain would become only the second country in the world, after France, to elevate abortion rights to constitutional status — a landmark step in defending women’s rights and advancing equality in Europe.