“Thinking that an ideology can be imposed from above through decisions taken on the strength of a majority is an approach that openly clashes with the principle of subsidiarity, which underpins European law. The initiative being discussed actually looks like an instrument of political pressure on the member States, as it goes far beyond the responsibilities that the European Union has been given”. Vincenzo Bassi, President of FAFCE (Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe), talks to SIR and comments on today’s vote with which the European Parliament passed a non-legislative resolution for “safe and accessible abortion”. “Abortion cannot qualify as a right”, Bassi points out. “It’s high time we take note of a worrying situation: the potential use of European funds to ease access to abortion all over Europe is now going in a direction that is the exact opposite of the spirit and purposes of the ‘One of Us’ European Citizens’ Initiative, which has been strongly supported by FAFCE since 2012. We should seriously blame ourselves for the level of attention and effort given to the protection of life”. The President of FAFCE adds: “That European taxpayers have to fund abortion procedures, even in those member States in which abortion is illegal, is inacceptable. This situation is partly the result of widespread noncommitment and increasing indifference to what happens in the European institutions, and especially in Brussels”.