French Parliament Approves Law Allowing Euthanasia

SadaNews - The French Parliament has approved a law granting adults suffering from terminal illnesses the right to receive assistance to end their lives, known as "euthanasia." This legislation was promised by President Emmanuel Macron after he was re-elected for a second term in 2022.

Under this legislation, France joins European and Western countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada, which allow laws permitting euthanasia under specific regulations.

In a comment on the law, which was approved yesterday Wednesday by a majority of 291 votes in favor and 241 votes against, Macron stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter): "In 2022, I pledged to open this path for the French, and that pledge has been fulfilled."

The new law grants the right to request assistance in ending life to an adult suffering from a terminal illness in its advanced or terminal stages, provided that their pain is untreatable or becomes unbearable when treatment is stopped.

For his part, Jonathan Doni from the "Right to Die with Dignity" association described the vote as "a historic moment," while acknowledging that other legal and social battles regarding this issue are still ongoing.

Lawmakers applauded the bill's author, Olivier Falorni, who has described his journey as having undergone "years of struggle within Parliament." Falorni stated before the National Assembly that "many patients died before they could benefit from this right."

The bill was passed in the National Assembly with a comfortable majority after having previously been rejected in the right-leaning Senate. However, the government resorted to activating a constitutional provision that gives the lower house of Parliament the final word on legislation.

In a subsequent move, the Prime Minister referred the new law to the Constitutional Council for review, explaining that this step comes after insufficient discussion in the Senate prevented reaching a text that balances the aspirations of the law's supporters and the fears of its opponents. The Constitutional Council has the authority to completely annul the law or to withhold agreement on some of its articles.

Notable figures from the conservative "Republicans" party strongly opposed the law, including Senate President Gerard Larcher and former Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau.