Lawmakers voted to advance two key texts: one expanding palliative care and another establishing the right to assisted dying under strict conditions.
After two weeks of intense debate, France’s National Assembly on Tuesday, May 27, approved two pivotal texts: one focused on expanding palliative care, the other establishing the right to assisted dying.
The lawmakers unanimously backed the palliative care measure and voted 305 to 199 in favor of creating a legal framework for assisted dying. This marks a decisive step forward for a major social reform in the country.
The legislation will now move to the Senate, where the more conservative chamber could introduce significant amendments. A second reading is expected afterward.
President Emmanuel Macron hailed the outcome as “an important milestone.” Writing on X, he said, “With respect for sensitivities, doubts and hopes, the path of fraternity I wished for is beginning to open—with dignity and humanity.” Macron first launched the reform initiative in 2022, and Health Minister Catherine Vautrin has expressed hopes that the law will be adopted before the 2027 presidential election.
The bill, championed by lawmaker Olivier Falorni, outlines strict conditions: eligible patients must be French citizens or residents over 18, suffering from a grave and incurable illness in an advanced or terminal stage, experiencing unbearable pain, and making the request voluntarily.
Patients with severe psychiatric disorders or neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s are excluded. The process involves an initial request, a reflection period, and a final confirmation before a doctor can prescribe the lethal medication, which may be taken at home, in a nursing facility, or in a medical center.
A 2023 report found that most French citizens support legalizing end-of-life options, with public opinion steadily growing more favorable over the past two decades.
Parliamentary discussions were disrupted last year when Macron dissolved the National Assembly, triggering a months-long political crisis.
The debate is far from over. Macron has even suggested a possible national referendum if parliamentary negotiations falter.
Advocacy groups like the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity (ADMD) have urged lawmakers to “respect the French people who want the same right enjoyed by our Dutch, Belgian, Luxembourgish, Swiss, Spanish, and Portuguese neighbors.”
French religious leaders, however, have voiced strong opposition. In a joint statement, the French Council of Religious Leaders (CRCF)—representing Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist communities—warned that the bill poses “anthropological risks” and could pressure the elderly and disabled.
Similar debates are unfolding in the United Kingdom, where lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow adults with terminal illnesses to seek assistance in ending their lives in England and Wales.
Currently, medically assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland and several U.S. states, while euthanasia is permitted under certain conditions in the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Australia, Colombia, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
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