European feminists and lawmakers clash over abolition versus regulation of prostitution
The controversy over abolishing prostitution is resurfacing across Europe, with new books, scholarly studies and legislative proposals highlighting a split between abolitionist and regulatory camps.
A wave of publications, including the 2026 reissue of Andrea Dworkin’s *Right-Wing Women* and Noemí Trujillo’s forthcoming manifesto, has brought the prostitution-abolition debate back to the forefront of European feminism. Long-time abolitionist Alice Schwarzer reiterated that any form of prostitution objectifies women, while gender sociologist Rosa Cobo described it as a capitalist triumph incompatible with feminist goals.
Contrasting research by Natasha McKeever suggests that many entrants, especially students, choose sex work for reasons beyond poverty, fueling arguments for regulation and legal protection championed by Erin O’Brien and others. In Spain, the Socialist Party’s eight-year effort to pass an abolition bill faces internal dissent, and Equality Minister Ana Redondo hopes the legislation will spark parliamentary debate. Germany’s CDU is urging repeal of its regulatory framework, labeling the country “Europe’s brothel,” and a far-right French lawmaker has proposed cooperative-run brothels as a response to criticisms of the 2016 client-penalty law. The controversy underscores a growing split between abolitionist and regulatory camps across the continent.
Why it matters
The debate shapes future laws that affect millions of sex workers and reflects broader tensions in feminist and political circles across Europe.
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