France’s parliament on Wednesday approved a bill to allow assisted death for terminally ill adults.
The law would allow an adult who is terminally ill to request a lethal substance that can either be self-administered or administered by a doctor.
It applies to French citizens or legal residents who have an illness that is life-threatening and advanced or terminal, and which is causing them persistent physical suffering. Lawmakers emphasized that psychological suffering alone is not a qualifying factor that disqualifies people suffering from severe mental disorders or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Patients should also be able to express their free and informed choices, and should be examined by a physician and then have their case evaluated by a panel of experts.
However, Wednesday’s vote does not mark the end of the legislation’s legislative and judicial path. A final decision by France’s highest constitutional authority will come at a later date.
What’s next for France’s assisted dying law?
The lower house of the National Assembly of France passed this law on Wednesday, with 291 votes in favor and 241 against. It had also approved the legislation in the last three readings.
However, the government used a constitutional rule to bypass the upper house, the Senate, which is dominated by conservatives and right-wing parties.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the law would go to the Constitutional Council for a final decision.
The Constitutional Council still has the power to declare laws invalid or express objections regarding certain sections, although such cases are extreme.
’14 years of parliamentary battle’
The assisted death law has been years in the making and was also an election promise made by President Emmanuel Macron.
“In 2022, I have committed to opening this path with the French people,” Macron wrote on Twitter. “With seriousness, humility and full respect for our democracy, that commitment has been honored.”
MPs also praised the bill’s author, former deputy Olivier Falorni, who was present in the chamber. He said the vote passed after “14 years of parliamentary battle”.
If the legislation clears the Constitutional Council, France would join fellow European countries Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland, as well as Canada, New Zealand and some states in the US and Australia in legalizing assisted dying.
Edited by: Rana Taha
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