The lower house of the French parliament — the National Assembly — has voted in favor of a bill that allows for assisted dying.
This is reported by Politico.
It concerns the right to assistance for adult patients who have been diagnosed with a serious illness and who have themselves requested assistance in dying. The bill was voted by 305 MPs in favor and 199 against. Opponents believe that the law will put vulnerable people, especially young people and people with mental disorders, at risk.
The French bill imposes a number of conditions and safeguards for those seeking assistance in ending their lives. Only adult citizens or permanent residents of France with an incurable illness in the late or terminal stage can receive such assistance.
In addition, the person must be experiencing severe physical or psychological suffering that cannot be relieved by treatment. Patients must be able to give informed consent and administer the medication to end their life themselves (or do so with assistance if they are unable to do so themselves).
However, the final decision rests with the patientʼs doctor, who first consults with another doctor who specializes in the patientʼs pathology, and with another physician who cared for the patient.
The Senate, the upper house of parliament, can now try to change or remove several provisions from the bill. French President Emmanuel Macron, who promised to implement the law during the election campaign, suggested that if discussions in both houses of parliament fail to lead to an agreement between them, the issue could be put to a referendum.
- Assisted dying is already legal in various forms in Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.
- In 2023, one in 20 people in Canada died through euthanasia.
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