The amendment, which guarantees women the freedom to choose abortion, received overwhelming support with 780 out of 925 eligible MPs and senators voting in favor.

The announcement of the result on Monday was met with thunderous applause in the chamber, and to mark the occasion, the Eiffel Tower in central Paris was illuminated. The measure had already been passed by both the upper and lower houses, the Sénat and the Assemblée Nationale, but final approval by parliamentarians at the joint session was needed to effect constitutional change.

Addressing the audience in the opulent Congress Hall, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal acknowledged the suffering and memory of countless women who were denied freedom in the past. He emphasized the moral obligation to protect women's rights and prevent reactionary forces from attacking them, stating, "To enshrine this right in our constitution is to close the door on the tragedy of the past and its trail of suffering and pain."

MP Mathilde Panot, who proposed including abortion rights in the constitution, dedicated the victory to all women fighting for their rights worldwide, saying, "Your fight is ours. This victory is yours." President Emmanuel Macron, who had promised to make women's freedom to choose abortion "irreversible," praised the decision as a significant step towards a world of hope.

The move to write the right to abortion into the constitution aims to safeguard the law that decriminalized abortion in France in 1975. Justice Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti explained during the national assembly debate that abortion rights go beyond mere liberty, as they empower women to shape their own futures.

Aurore Bergé, the minister in charge of equality and the fight against discrimination, underscored the importance of the vote, stating, "This will be one of the most important and remarkable decisions of this parliament."

To secure the constitutional change, Macron had the choice between holding a national referendum or convening a joint parliamentary congress at Versailles. Ultimately, it was the latter option that was chosen, with the vote requiring three-fifths majority approval.

The session held on Monday was the first of its kind since 2008, when French institutions underwent modernization efforts under then-President Nicolas Sarkozy. Over the years, the parliamentary congress has met 16 times and brought about 21 changes to the constitution.

The vote was overseen by Yaël Braun-Pivet, a member of Macron's Renaissance party, who acted as the equivalent of the lower house speaker. Each of the 18 political group leaders attending the session had the opportunity to speak for five minutes before the final vote.

The authenticated text of the constitutional amendment will now be sent to the government, and President Macron will attend a ceremony on Friday, International Women's Day, to finalize the historic change.

The impetus for the constitutional amendment came following the US Supreme Court's decision in 2022 to overturn Roe v Wade, a ruling that recognized women's constitutional right to abortion and legalized it nationwide. This development, along with the increasing number of French women seeking abortions abroad, prompted the extension of France's legal limit for abortion from 12 to 14 weeks in the same year.

While the decision was met with celebration and support, anti-abortion protesters also gathered near the Palace of Versailles to voice their opposition to the constitutional change.