--- title: France Abortion Law Lifts Restrictions in Gender Equality Push description: France has passed a law that allows women to get an abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy with no questions asked. canonical: https://time.com/3086892/france-abortion-law-gender-equality/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-08-06T18:45:30.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:45:25.563Z og:title: France Abortion Law Lifts Restrictions in Gender Equality Push og:description: France has passed a law that allows women to get an abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy with no questions asked. og:url: https://time.com/3086892/france-abortion-law-gender-equality/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt19404f91cc33f223/69869e9d1eebf72c38372274/najat-vallaud-belkacem.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3500 og:image:height: 1969 og:image:alt: France's Women, Youth and Sports Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem arrives to attend a dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris May 5, 2014. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: France Abortion Law Lifts Restrictions in Gender Equality Push twitter:description: France has passed a law that allows women to get an abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy with no questions asked. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt19404f91cc33f223/69869e9d1eebf72c38372274/najat-vallaud-belkacem.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # France Eases Abortion Restrictions in Sweeping Equality Law > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ebb54cc7-8d61-4a3e-9a79-627a5a034774&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | Subscribers | Open rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | 540,000 | 45.6% | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 430,000 | 50.7% | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | 240,000 | 54.1% | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 40,000 | 31.7% | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | 85,000 | 37.0% | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | 40,000 | 34.2% | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | 25,000 | 28.6% | Source: TIME, August 2026. Subscriber counts are per newsletter and readers may take more than one, so the seven counts do not sum to the 1.1 million+ unique newsletter audience. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Highest open rate | 54.1%, Health Matters | TIME, August 2026 | | Largest list | 540,000, The Brief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ebb54cc7-8d61-4a3e-9a79-627a5a034774&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=ebb54cc7-8d61-4a3e-9a79-627a5a034774&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: Abortion: Check Yes or No [Watch (HLS stream): Abortion: Check Yes or No](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/dI4FvbKJ.m3u8) (2:08)  _Published 2013-11-22. A blue state narrowly defeats a city-level ban on late-term abortion, while some of the toughest anti-abortion legislation is allowed to stand in a neighboring red state. Is the local ballot box the next frontier in the abortion war?_ by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Aug 6, 2014 6:45 PM UTC  France's Women, Youth and Sports Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem arrives to attend a dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris May 5, 2014. France's Women, Youth and Sports Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem arrives to attend a dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris May 5, 2014. Gonzalo Fuentes—Reuters by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Aug 6, 2014 6:45 PM UTC France [passed legislation](http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/us-france-women-idUSKBN0G61OO20140806) this week allowing women to get abortions during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy with no questions asked, lifting previous restrictions as part of a sweeping and historic law meant to increase gender equality in the country. Previously, a French woman could only get an abortion if her condition put “her in a situation of distress.” The new law, signed Tuesday by French President François Hollande, also ensures women can access information about obtaining abortions, Reuters reports. The legislation provides protections for domestic abuse victims and supports more equal division of childcare and representation in politics. And it strives to creates a more equal job environment by encouraging men to take paternity leaves. “At a time when women in many parts of the world, including in the United States and Spain, are seeing their rights restricted, violated, and disrespected, France has set an important example for the rest of the globe with its progressive stance toward reproductive health care,” Lilian Sepúlveda, director of the Global Legal Program at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement. “Ensuring a woman’s right to control her fertility is fundamental to achieving gender equality. But passing today’s law is just the first step—we now look to French policymakers to ensure women see the benefits of this historic law implemented this year.” When the law was initially introduced, France’s minister for women’s rights Najat Vallaud-Belkacem [told the _Guardian_](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/20/french-mps-equality-law): “I don’t believe that history is going to spontaneously take us forward, so going towards more equality needs us to be politically proactive.” \[[_Reuters_](http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/us-france-women-idUSKBN0G61OO20140806)\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3086892/france-abortion-law-gender-equality/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3086892/france-abortion-law-gender-equality/"},"headline":"France Eases Abortion Restrictions in Sweeping Equality Law","datePublished":"2014-08-06T18:45:30.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:45:25.563Z","description":"Called \"historic\" step in gender equality push","url":"https://time.com/3086892/france-abortion-law-gender-equality/","keywords":["Living","abortion","women","France","politics","gender equality"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt19404f91cc33f223/69869e9d1eebf72c38372274/najat-vallaud-belkacem.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandra Sifferlin","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt19404f91cc33f223/69869e9d1eebf72c38372274/najat-vallaud-belkacem.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"France's Women, Youth and Sports Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem arrives to attend a dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris May 5, 2014.","caption":"France's Women, Youth and Sports Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem arrives to attend a dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris May 5, 2014.","creditText":"Gonzalo Fuentes—Reuters","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-living/","name":"Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3086892/france-abortion-law-gender-equality/","name":"France Eases Abortion Restrictions in Sweeping Equality Law"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Abortion: Check Yes or No","description":"A blue state narrowly defeats a city-level ban on late-term abortion, while some of the toughest anti-abortion legislation is allowed to stand in a neighboring red state. Is the local ballot box the next frontier in the abortion war?","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/dI4FvbKJ/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2013-11-22T21:11:38.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/dI4FvbKJ.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3086892/france-abortion-law-gender-equality/","duration":"PT2M8S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3086892/france-abortion-law-gender-equality/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```