The French Senate has approved plans to enshrine abortion in the constitution.

After a lengthy debate this week, the Senate passed the Bill by 166 votes in favour to 152 against.

The legislation was passed by the National Assembly in November. That draft had sought to enshrine a "right to voluntarily end a pregnancy" but this was opposed by senators. 

Instead, the Senate passed an amended text that would enshrine the "freedom for a woman to end her pregnancy". 

The new draft was presented by Philippe Bas, senator of Les Républicain, who said it would "guarantee the balance of current abortion law".

"There is a freedom that can be enshrined in the Constitution but on condition that there is a conciliation between the right of the pregnant woman to terminate her pregnancy and the protection of the unborn child after a certain period of time," he said, according to Evangelical Focus.

The amendment was passed despite objections from his own party who argued that abortion access was already protected under existing law. 

"The constitution is not made to send symbolic messages to the entire world," said the Senate Republicans' president Bruno Retailleau.

The amended legislation will now be sent back to the National Assembly for approval.