Far-right push threatens EU-backed abortion funding

Barely two weeks after the European Commission gave the green light to the ‘My Voice, My Choice’ initiative, the future of its financing has once again become uncertain amid an ongoing battle between pro- and anti-abortion groups in the European Parliament.

On 26 February, the European Commission opened the door to financial support for abortion access across the EU by adding it to the list of areas that can be supported through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). This could allow people who need to travel for an abortion to have some costs — such as transport or accommodation — covered.

Firmly opposed to the citizens’ initiative, the far-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group has tabled an amendment to the general guidelines for the 2027 budget, stating that ESF+ should fund “exclusively” healthcare services as defined in the directive on cross-border healthcare.

That directive states that only healthcare services aimed at assessing, maintaining or…