The European Citizens’ Initiative My Voice, My Choice reached a significant institutional milestone in December 2025, entering the plenary phase of the European Parliament. The initiative was launched by the Ljubljana-basedInstitute 8. March, and subsequently supported by a wide network of civil society organisations, collectives, and activists across the European Union — transforming a local initiative into a pan-European political process.
With more than 1.12 million verified signatures from EU citizens, the initiative met the formal threshold required under the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) mechanism.
Phot: my-voice-my-choice-banner-main
“This Is a Citizens’ Initiative — a Collective Political Demand”
“My Voice, My Choice is a European Citizens’ Initiative launched by Institute 8. March in Ljubljana and later supported by organisations across Europe. It is a democratic mechanism that allows citizens to place a collective political demand before the European Commission and the European Parliament.”
She emphasizes that the initiative focuses on access and solidarity, not on imposing legislation.
“Our objective is to establish a voluntary European financial solidarity mechanism that would support access to safe and legal abortion care in cases where national legislation, geographical distance, or economic barriers make access difficult.”
Photo: Reuc – Maria Popović
Why did you decide to launch an initiative at the European level?
Gregor Volk from Institute 8. March responds:
“Honestly, we had no certainty that we would be able to collect one million signatures. We had contacts across Europe, but no proof that people would mobilise at that scale.”
He recalls the early phase of the campaign:
“At the beginning, we were a small group of people with no money, no office, no infrastructure. We had basic, amateur-level social media skills — and a lot of determination.”
“After six months or a year, we had to completely change our approach. Signatures were not coming in fast enough. We made mistakes, learned as we went, and looked for new methods and new allies.”
At that stage, Volk notes, other organisations across Europe formally joined the initiative, strengthening its reach and capacity.
“If We Hadn’t Tried, None of This Would Exist”
Asked what message he would send to local organisations hesitant to act beyond their immediate environment, Volk answers:
“One thing is certain: none of this would have happened if we hadn’t tried.”
He adds:
“You have to try. Only then can you see what is possible. If you don’t try — there is nothing to see.”
Next Steps
Following the plenary debate and vote in the European Parliament in December, the initiative proceeds to the next institutional phase, which includes a formal response from the European Commission.
Regardless of the outcome, My Voice, My Choice stands as a clear example of how a locally launched initiative can shape debates at the European level.
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