Paris, Jul 15 (EFE).- The French National Assembly granted final approval to the Right to Die with Dignity Act on Wednesday, which includes regulations on euthanasia and assisted suicide for patients with serious, irreversible illnesses and severe suffering. The bill passed with 291 votes in favor and 241 against.
Wednesday’s vote was the final vote on the third reading, enabling the lower house of the French parliament to pass the law after a complicated legislative process.
Since 2025, deputies have approved the bill twice, but the conservative-majority Senat rejected it twice.
In late 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron introduced the bill legalizing euthanasia, which he considered one of the social achievements of his second and final term, which ends in May 2027.
However, the bill will now be reviewed by the Constitutional Council at the initiative of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, who was appointed by Macron and has second thoughts about certain parts of the text, such as the two-day reflection period for patients.
Shortly after the law was passed, Macron posted on X that «appeals to the Constitutional Council will proceed in accordance with the principles of our rule of law» and thanked «all the lawmakers who made this constructive and respectful debate possible.»
Shortly after the vote, the French Catholic Church stated in a press release that the law represents «a serious rupture» in the country’s history.
The Church warned that «the effects of its legislation are already becoming apparent,» noting that it will change the relationship «with vulnerability, old age, disability, or illness.»
Details of the law
The bill, sponsored by Representative Olivier Falorni (left-wing independent and mayor of La Rochelle), introduces the right to «assisted dying» in France.
This right must be exercised by the person themselves or, in exceptional cases where they are physically incapacitated, by a doctor or nurse. One must be of legal age, hold French citizenship, or be a resident of the country.
It may be requested by individuals suffering from serious and incurable illnesses whose prognosis is life-threatening in an advanced or terminal stage, with an irreversible decline in health and quality of life.
The patient must be experiencing physical or psychological suffering resulting from the illness that cannot be alleviated, or that the patient considers unbearable, after deciding to refuse or discontinue treatment.
However, purely psychological suffering without a serious underlying physical condition does not entitle the patient to this right.
The patient must have full capacity to discern and freely and consciously express their will at the time the request is made.
The individual must seek assistance from a physician, and the process must be formalized in writing and submitted for collegial review. Within 15 days of the request, the physician must provide a reasoned response. If approved, the patient must confirm their decision after a minimum reflection period of two days.
Appeal to the Constitutional Court
The government will ask the court to rule on the applicable provisions for adults under legal guardianship or judicial protection, including the expression of free and informed consent and the role of those responsible for their protection.
It will also seek a ruling on the applicable provisions for adults under legal guardianship or judicial protection, particularly regarding the expression of free and informed consent. Additionally, it will address the role of those responsible for their protection.
The third consultation will focus on the relationship between the conscience clause for healthcare professionals and healthcare and medical-social facilities that accompany patients at the end of life without hastening their death or providing excessive treatment, and that exclude assisted dying.
According to a statement, the government justified the decision by noting that although the National Assembly held an in-depth debate on the text, the Senate’s review “did not allow for an equally exhaustive analysis” to reconcile the expectations of the reform’s supporters with the concerns of its opponents regarding its implementation.
The government hopes that the Constitutional Council’s review will provide the necessary clarifications to ensure the law’s implementation respects constitutional principles, particularly human dignity and personal freedom.
Senate President Gérard Larcher, a conservative, had previously announced his intention to appeal to the Constitutional Council once the law was passed.EFE
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