Twelve out of Ireland’s 13 Members of the European Parliament have voted in favour of a non-binding resolution that would enforce abortion across the EU by inserting a ‘right’ to abortion into the Charter of Fundamental Rights and remove the matter from voters and national parliaments.

The resolution was a direct response to the US Supreme Court’s decision in overturning the Roe v Wade case in the United States that enforced a liberal abortion law across all 50 states.

It also calls for full decriminalisation of abortion. It was passed by 371 votes to 161.

One human rights expert, Dr. Adina Portaru, of ADF International in Brussels, said the resolution is “fundamentally inaccurate and misleading“.

“There is no ‘right’ to abortion – on the contrary, Article 2 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union upholds the right to life for everyone”, she said.

The Pro-Life Campaign called the text “extreme in tone” and said if ever implemented, “it would strip away even the most basic protections for unborn children against abortion across the 27 EU member states”.

The Irish MEPs who voted in favour of the resolution were as follows: Clare Daly, Mick Wallace, Luke “Ming” Flanagan, Chris MacManus, Grace O’Sullivan, Ciarán Cuffe, Frances Fitzgerald, Seán Kelly, Maria Walsh, Colm Markey Billy Kelleher and Barry Andrews. Deirdre Cline was not present for the vote.