Monaco’s Prince Albert II stands against legalizing abortion in Catholic country

Prince Albert II of Monaco has declared that preborn children will remain largely protected from abortion in the sovereign city-state, referencing the significant role of the Catholic faith in the principality.

Key Takeaways:

• Prince Albert II pointed to Monaco's Catholic heritage as the explanation for why he recently vetoed a bill that attempted to legalize and expand abortion access in the principality.

• The bill would have widened the allowances for abortion and lowered the age of parental consent for minors.

• The Catholic Church has always held that human life must be respected and safeguarded from the moment of conception, and that intentional killing by abortion is an intrinsic evil.

The Details:

During an interview given to Monaco-Matin before the country’s National Day, Prince Albert II echoed the Government’s opposition to legalizing abortion. Monaco's current abortion laws are among the most protective for preborn children in Europe; he recently vetoed a bill attempting to legalize abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. If the bill had passed, it would have legalized voluntary abortion up to 12 weeks, broadened the limit on abortion to 16 weeks in incidents of rape, and lowered the age of parental consent from 18 to 15. 

Prince Albert II noted that Monaco's current pro-life laws reflect the principality's Catholic identity and moral principles. According to the Monaco Tribune:

“I understand how sensitive this subject is, the emotion it can bring up”, the Sovereign said, justifying the position by reference to “the place that the Catholic religion holds in our country”.

The Head of State believes that “the current framework respects who we are”, referring to the legislative developments of 2009 and 2019 that established “a balance respectful of our fundamental identity”.

At the moment, abortion in Monaco remains formally illegal, though the procedure has been decriminalised since 2019, and allowed in certain cases since April 8, 2009 — namely, cases of serious fetal malformation, rape, and life-threatening risk to the mother (though intentionally killing a preborn child is not medically necessary).

An article by media outlet Silere Non Possum stated: 

For decades before that (2009), the Principality maintained one of the most restrictive laws in Europe, banning abortion under every circumstance. Women who underwent the procedure risked up to three years in prison, doctors up to five years and the loss of their licence to practise.

Today, although still illegal in Monaco, abortion is not prosecuted if carried out abroad, especially in France, where it is legal.

Monaco’s Constitution acknowledges Catholicism as the state religion. The Catholic Church has always held that all human life is sacred and thus cannot be terminated willfully by artificial means like abortion. The intrinsic evil of direct abortion is a constant and unchangeable doctrine.

Additionally, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (formerly the Congregation) has consistently maintained that human life must be respected and safeguarded from the moment of conception, and that direct abortion is a grave violation of human dignity and a serious breach of the moral law.  

In light of this fact, Prince Albert II's refusal to endorse abortion can be explained by his allegiance to Catholicism, setting a good example to the rest of Europe and the world that his principality values protecting preborn lives, as well as the fact that abortion is not a matter of mere individual choice but an issue of great civilizational and moral importance. 

The Bottom Line:

Prince Albert II's refusal to legalize abortion reiterates Monaco’s identity as an area with deep roots in Catholic values that is committed to the defense of life from conception.

Instead of amending its laws to align with wider European trends toward promoting abortion, Monaco under Prince Albert II has chosen to keep its protective pro-life laws and instead offer support for vulnerable women within existing legal frameworks, reflecting the fundamental premise that every human life, born or preborn, is worthy of protection.