Politicians in France have voted to approve a new law that will let adults with incurable illnesses end their lives. The National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament, passed the bill with 291 votes in favour and 241 against.
The law will not take effect immediately. It must first be checked by the Constitutional Council to make sure it agrees with the French Constitution.
President Emmanuel Macron first promised to look into this issue three years ago. He welcomed the vote on social media, writing that he had fulfilled his promise to the French public with seriousness and respect.
The new law allows medically assisted suicide, which means that patients who qualify can get a prescription for lethal medicine and take it themselves. If a patient is physically unable to take the medicine, a doctor or nurse can help them.
To apply for this help, a patient must meet several very strict rules. They must be at least 18 years old, and they must be French citizens or legal residents.
In addition, a doctor must confirm that the patient has an incurable, terminal illness that will cause death. The patient must also be in severe pain that cannot be relieved, and they must make the request completely of their own free will.
Mental suffering on its own will not qualify a person for this help. People with severe mental health disorders or brain conditions like Alzheimer’s disease cannot use this law.
When a patient asks for end-of-life help, a team of doctors has 15 days to review the case. If the doctors agree, the patient must wait at least two days to think it over.
After this reflection time, the patient can choose when and where to take the medicine. They can do so at home or in a hospital, with their family beside them.
On the chosen day, a doctor or nurse will confirm one last time that the patient still wants to go ahead. The medical professional will stay nearby in case there are any complications. France’s national health service will cover all the costs.
Most French people support the right to choose how they die, according to recent polls. Jonathan Denis, the head of the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity, praised the new law. He said it gives people a new right to end their suffering freely without forcing anyone else to do so.
However, opponents worry the law could put pressure on elderly or disabled people. The campaign group Alliance Vita wrote to the president to argue that the country should focus on better hospice care instead. They stated that offering death as a solution is not the right way to help people who are suffering.
The bill will now go to the Constitutional Council, which has one month to make its final decision.
