Andorra could decriminalise abortion within a year, its prime minister said, as Emmanuel Macron used a visit on 28 April — in his constitutional role as one of the principality’s co-princes — to press the issue and press for ratification of an EU association agreement.

Macron in Andorra where church and state meet

Emmanuel Macron travelled to Andorra on 28 April 2026 in his unusual capacity as one of the principality’s two heads of state. He shares that office with Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat, the Catholic Bishop of Urgell. The arrangement dates back centuries and gives the French president a formal constitutional role in Andorran affairs alongside a senior cleric — a contrast to most modern European states.

Macron’s visit combined ceremonial duties with private political talks. He acknowledged Andorra’s history and held closed-door discussions with local leaders, and Radio France International and Andorran public broadcaster RTVA said Macron confirmed that abortion would be included in his public remarks during the trip.

The presence of the Bishop of Urgell at the state welcome underlines the tight institutional link between church and state in Andorra. That link is central to why changes to abortion law are complicated: one of the co-princes is a senior Catholic cleric who has constitutional status in the polity.

The push to decriminalise: timing and limits

Andorra’s prime minister, Xavier Espot Zamora, has told broadcasters he hopes to decriminalise abortion within a year, though he stopped short of saying the government would legalise abortion outright.

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That distinction matters in practice: decriminalisation would remove criminal penalties for those who seek or provide abortions, but it wouldn't necessarily set up a legal regulatory framework for the procedure.

The current law is among the strictest in Europe, and any move away from criminal sanctions would mark a major shift in the principality’s social policy. But the co-princes’ roles mean reform needs careful navigation. Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat has signalled caution while indicating a willingness to proceed within constitutional limits.

Diplomacy and a possible EU association ratification

Alongside social policy, Macron is pressing on broader diplomatic matters. Reports say he will endorse plans for Andorra to ratify an association agreement with the European Union, and that ratification could happen as early as July. Such an agreement would deepen Andorra’s ties with the EU and align parts of its regulatory framework with Brussels, although the specific terms and immediate effects depend on the final text and any transitional arrangements.

For a microstate whose economy is closely linked to neighbouring France and Spain, closer formal ties with the EU would carry practical consequences. It could mean regulatory alignment on trade and services, new legal obligations for businesses, and changes in cross-border administrative arrangements. Those changes may alter how Andorra manages sectors like finance, tourism and retail — which are core to its economy — though exact outcomes depend on the association deal’s final scope.

Political calculations in Andorra and Paris

The proposed timetable and Macron’s public role shift the political calculus. For Andorran leaders, moving on abortion while negotiating an EU pact requires balancing domestic opinion, constitutional constraints and external diplomatic momentum. Espot’s one-year horizon suggests the government wants to control the tempo of change rather than see reform driven solely by external pressure.

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RTVA reported Macron confirmed abortion would feature in his speech, and officials say Andorra could ratify its EU association agreement as early as July; lawmakers and the co-princes must still resolve constitutional questions before any decriminalisation within the year.

This article was created with AI assistance.