06/02/2026
One of Us expresses serious concern regarding the public endorsement by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin of the “My Voice, My Choice” initiative.
As President of one of the most influential sporting institutions in Europe, Mr Čeferin holds a position that calls for responsibility, neutrality, and respect for the EU Treaties. His public alignment with a campaign calling for abortion tourism raises fundamental legal and democratic concerns.
We wish to recall to Mr Čeferin that abortion policy does not fall within the competence of the European Union. Under the principle of conferral, enshrined in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union, competences not attributed to the Union remain with the Member States. Abortion legislation is therefore a matter reserved to national sovereignty. Presenting abortion as a “European right” disregards both the legal framework of the Union and the democratic authority of Member States.
Furthermore, there is no recognised right to abortion under EU law or under binding international human rights instruments. By contrast, the protection of human dignity and the right to life constitute foundational principles of the European legal order.
It must also be recalled that, a few years ago, two million European citizens signed the strongest European Citizens’ Initiative “One of Us,” calling on EU institutions to uphold and respect the right to life. These citizens, representing a significant democratic expression across Member States, cannot simply be ignored in favour of one ideological narrative.
Moreover, millions of women across Europe carry the trauma of abortion. Numerous testimonies speak of psychological suffering and isolation— realities that are too often marginalised in public discourse. Rather than promoting abortion tourism as a policy objective, Europe should invest in stronger maternity support, comprehensive social protection for mothers in vulnerable situations, and concrete assistance for women facing unexpected pregnancies.
At a time when many women struggle with economic insecurity, lack of childcare, and insufficient workplace protections, it is troubling to see a European figure lend his support to an initiative that does not address these structural challenges.
Sport has the power to unite across cultures, convictions, and nations. It should not be instrumentalised to advance ideological campaigns on matters that fall outside the Union’s competences and on which millions of Europeans hold deeply rooted convictions.
One of Us reaffirms its commitment to defending human dignity, supporting mothers, protecting the right to life, and upholding the proper balance of competences within the European Union.
