On many levels, Monaco is a curiosity on the international stage. Its size, wealth, and princely family have always made it a unique state. Yet there’s one area where the principality particularly stands out, but that is often overlooked: bioethics.
Indeed, the principality appears impervious to the societal shift observable among its European neighbors, particularly the nation that surrounds it, France. This distinctiveness stems primarily from its loyalty to its state religion, Catholicism. The most recent example: the prince’s refusal to legislate on abortion in 2025.
Last year, however, many believed the principality would lose this pro-life stance. A proposed law to legalize abortion shook Monegasque society. Since 2019, abortion has been decriminalized; women who undergo the procedure are no longer subject to a prison sentence or a fine. Doctors or midwives who perform an abortion on Monegasque territory, however, remain subject to a sentence of 5 to 10 years’ imprisonment, along with a permanent ban on practicing their profession.
No legalization of abortion
Monegasque lawmakers nevertheless sought to take a further step by legalizing abortion in the small state. Prince Albert put a stop to this effort. Despite a large majority vote in favor of the bill, the Monegasque monarch halted the legislative process on November 25. According to him, this law didn’t comply with Article 9 of the constitution, which states that “the Roman Catholic Church is the state religion.”
A few weeks before this decision, Archbishop Marie-Dominique David had already pointed out the incompatibility of this law with the Monegasque constitution. Worse still, by legislating on this matter, the small country risked losing its soul: “Let us be careful,” he warned. “While the Principality’s entire DNA does not reside in Catholicism, without Catholicism, the Principality no longer possesses its full DNA.” Monaco is a rare case: it is indeed a constitutional monarchy with Catholicism as the official religion.
Only four countries in the world still maintain Catholicism as their state religion today. (In addition to Monaco, there is the Vatican itself. As well, there is Liechtenstein and Malta.)
This unique feature does not imply a mixing of spiritual and temporal powers, explains Father Christian Venard, a priest of the Diocese of Monaco: “There’s an obvious influence of Catholicism, yet the prince doesn’t go to the archbishop to ask how to govern!” Nevertheless, the priest acknowledges the influence such a distinction can have on society: “Just as we understand that in France secularism shapes the law, we should understand that here in Monaco, Catholicism — which is the state religion — shapes our laws in the same way."
Guaranteed access to palliative care
Within this small country, the central role of religion doesn’t prevent the development of very liberal currents of thought on social issues. “Monaco isn’t an island cut off from the world,” Father Venard said. “Monegasque society is also influenced by certain ideologies, notably 'wokism.'” Regular media campaigns are thus waged, which the principality has so far resisted.
Although it receives the most media attention, abortion isn’t the only issue on which Monaco stands out in terms of bioethics. It has so far remained impervious to attempts to make assisted reproductive technology (ART) accessible to same-sex couples, and has recently revised its end-of-life legislation with a certain degree of calm.
In 2025, Monaco enacted a law guaranteeing access to palliative care and guarding against futile medical treatment. It thus decided not to embark on a path leading to euthanasia or assisted suicide.
“Monaco has managed, without much drama, to enact an end-of-life law that respects the positions of the Catholic Church,” says Father Venard. “And this without the archdiocese really having to fight for it… When this law was presented to the National Council of Monaco, we were able to be heard, participate in the discussion, and present arguments. We were able to debate and arrive at a text appreciated by all, which can be described as exemplary!”
On all these issues, Monaco seems to stand as the last of the Mohicans in Europe. And yet the small state is not so alone in holding the line. Malta, Liechtenstein, Andorra, and even Poland continue to maintain legislation defending life from conception to its natural end -- a list of countries, of course, rounded out by the Vatican. Many observers, moreover, view Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the principality of Monaco on March 28 as a sign of solidarity with this shared stance.
