France’s National Assembly is set to give final approval to a controversial assisted dying bill that would allow some adults with incurable illnesses to receive life-ending medication under strict conditions. The legislation, backed by president Emmanuel Macron, marks the latest stage in a long-running debate over end-of-life care in France.The bill is expected to pass the lower house after clearing several rounds of parliamentary debate. However, the process will continue after prime minister Sebastien Lecornu said the legislation would be referred to the constitutional council for review once adopted.
A decade-long debate
The proposed law has been at the centre of discussions in France for years, with lawmakers divided over patient rights, medical ethics and safeguards against misuse.The bill was approved by the national assembly but rejected by the Senate, where the conservative majority opposed the measure. Under France’s constitutional process, the lower house can have the final say when both chambers disagree.
What are the conditions?
The bill establishes a legal right to assisted dying for adults suffering from serious and incurable illnesses, but only if specific criteria are met.Applicants must be at least 18 years old and either French citizens or legal residents. They must be capable of making a “free and informed” decision and experience physical suffering that is either unmanageable through treatment or considered unbearable by the patient.A doctor would first assess the request in consultation with healthcare professionals before a panel reviews whether the legal requirements are fulfilled.If approved, the patient would receive lethal medication and generally administer it themselves. A doctor or nurse would only assist in cases where a person is physically unable to take the medication independently.The law excludes people seeking assisted dying solely because of psychological suffering and does not cover severe psychiatric conditions or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Supporters call bill balanced, critics warn of risks
Supporters of the legislation argue that the bill provides patients with greater control over end-of-life decisions while maintaining safeguards.Agnes Firmin Le Bodo, a centre-right lawmaker and former health minister who worked on an earlier version of the bill, told AP that the law “will be passed because it is balanced”.Opponents remain strongly opposed. Christophe Bentz, a lawmaker from the far-right National Rally party, called the legislation “very dangerous” and warned of possible “abuses”.Religious groups and organisations opposed to euthanasia and assisted dying have also planned demonstrations near the National Assembly during the vote.
Macron’s reform bid and next steps
Macron promised to introduce assisted dying legislation after being re-elected for a second term in 2022, presenting it as a major social reform.If approved and cleared by the Constitutional Council, France would join countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada that have legalised forms of assisted dying.The Constitutional Council will have up to a month to examine the legislation. The law would only come into effect after the review process is completed, determining whether France moves ahead with a new framework for end-of-life care.
