Today, the Constitution Committee unanimously approved (minus 3 abstentions) the proposal to grant constitutional protection to animals as sentient beings in the country's highest legal norm.
Mathieu Bihet (MR), Kristof Calvo (Ecolo-Groen), Barbara Creemers (Ecolo-Groen), Pieter De Spiegeleer (VB), Joris De Vriendt (VB), Sophie De Wit (N-VA), Claire Hugon (Ecolo-Groen), Sander Loones (N-VA), Özlem Özen (PS), Wim Van der Donckt (N-VA), Marco Van Hees (PVDA-PTB), Kris Verduyckt (Vooruit) et Sophie Wilmès (MR) voted in favor of the proposal.
Only three deputies abstained: Patrick Dewael (Open Vld), Hervé Rigot (PS) and Servais Verherstraeten (cd&v).
The proposal to revise Article 7bis of the Constitution, which was approved by the Senate last November, will shortly be put to the vote in plenary session. A two-thirds majority of the House of Representatives will be required to approve the inclusion of animals in the Constitution.
GAIA has been campaigning for the inclusion of animal welfare in the Constitution since 2016. This desire to grant constitutional protection to animals is shared by the vast majority of Belgians: according to a survey carried out in February 2023 (Ipsos), 86% of them believe that animals should be included in the Constitution.
The support from public opinion is echoed by the favorable stance of many experts: out of the forty or so opinions requested by deputies and senators during the legislative process, more than thirty have been positive.
