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Euractiv
30-07-2025
- Health
- Euractiv
Final journey: The divide within Europe over euthanasia and assisted dying
Every year, dozens of terminally ill patients from across Europe travel to Belgium and Switzerland, not in search of hope, but of a dignified death. With euthanasia and assisted dying still illegal in most EU countries, many have no choice but to cross borders to end their suffering. Such a discrepancy in how the issue is handled across Europe makes it difficult for those experiencing chronic illness to plan a dignified end to the lives close to home. In 2024, 120 patients travelled to Belgium for euthanasia, of which 102 were French nationals. Belgium remains the only EU country where euthanasia is legal for foreigners. The practice – defined as a doctor directly administering a lethal substance – is strictly regulated, yet accessible across borders. These cases have often cynically been described as 'death tourism'. But as Anne Raynaud, head of youth at the French Association for the Right to Die with Dignity (ADMD), points out: "For most end-of-life patients, requesting euthanasia is far from 'tourism'." The reason so many French patients cross the border is simple, she adds: 'Those who want to choose the terms of their end of life currently have no option in France.' A survey of European policies The French are not alone in their frustration. When it comes to terminally ill patients, only a few countries offer legal options for ending life. Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain have legalised euthanasia, but access is generally limited to their own citizens or residents. Assisted dying – where patients administer life-ending medication themselves – is legal in Austria and Germany, following court rulings in 2019 and 2022. Switzerland is the only European country that allows foreigners to access assisted dying, although it does not keep official statistics on this. Dignitas, the country's best-known provider, reported 280 assisted deaths last year – its highest on record. Most were foreign nationals, 57 from France, 37 from the UK, and 22 from Italy. The UK has recently taken the first steps toward an assisted dying bill. Tuscany, a region of Italy, has also passed a law allowing assisted dying and carried out its first assisted death in June, a possible blueprint for other regions. Meanwhile, France's National Assembly voted in May to permit assisted dying, but the bill must still pass the more conservative Senate in autumn, though there is no clear division along party lines. Even a strictly Catholic country as Malta, where abortion is forbidden, is debating the topic now as the government has launched a public consultation to ask its citizens for their views on assisted voluntary euthanasia. Also, in countries that have previously refused to legalise assisted dying or euthanasia, the topic continues to reappear on the agenda. For example, in Czechia, it is a key issue ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in October. But not all national debates are moving forward. In Slovenia, a top state body vetoed a new assisted dying bill, warning that it raised unresolved ethical, legal and philosophical questions. Nevertheless, according to ADMD's Anne Raynaud, many patients understand that even if laws are eventually passed, their implementation "will likely take many months". "Sadly, many of them do not have that kind of time and are forced to go abroad to end their suffering," she said. An EU blind spot Despite clear demand, the European Commission has explicitly said it won't act. In response to MEP queries, the Commission said that "responsibility for healthcare, including care for terminally ill patients, as well as ethical questions, rests with the Member States." The lack of legal options within the EU is particularly affecting Switzerland, where Dignitas would at least like to see international guidelines. "An international approach is necessary because the hopes, wishes, and needs of people are quite similar in most places around the world," the organisation argues, but one that also respects "cultural and social context." The Swiss association EXIT, which supports only Swiss nationals and residents with assisted dying, takes a more pragmatic stance: "A pan-European regulation is neither necessary nor realistic," the association said in response to a request from Euractiv . In EXIT's view, it would be sufficient if every European country legalised euthanasia. Germany's experience shows how national laws can make a difference. After the country legalised assisted dying, the number of German nationals travelling to Switzerland dropped sharply – from 85 a year to just five in 2023. Raynaud of ADMD warns that assisted dying isn't an option for everyone. "Patients who are physically unable to self-administer the lethal substance cannot benefit from it." There is also a stark economic divide. In Switzerland, assisted dying can cost over €10,000. In Belgium, the process is about one-tenth of that. And for many, it's not just about cost, but the emotional burden. Whether in Belgium or Switzerland, as Raynaud noted, most people would still prefer to die at home or close to loved ones. (bms, aw, cs)
Canada Standard
30-05-2025
- Health
- Canada Standard
France approves right-to-die law
Critics warn that vulnerable people may feel pressured to end their lives France's lower house of parliament has approved a controversial bill to legalize assisted dying for adults with terminal illnesses, amid deep divisions in a country with strong Catholic traditions. The National Assembly voted 305 to 199 in favor of the measure, which is backed by President Emmanuel Macron. The bill now moves to the Senate and will return to the lower house for a second reading. Supporters hope it will become law by 2027. France currently allows what is called passive euthanasia - such as withdrawing life support - and deep sedation before death. Under the bill, patients could request lethal medication, which they would take themselves, or if physically unable, have administered by a doctor or nurse. They must be over 18, hold French citizenship or residency, and be suffering from an irreversible, advanced, or terminal illness causing constant, untreatable pain. People with severe psychiatric conditions or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's would not qualify. A medical team would assess each case. After a period of reflection, the patient could receive the drug at home, in a care home, or medical facility. The government described the bill as "an ethical response to the need to support the sick and the suffering," calling it "neither a new right nor a freedom... but a balance between respect and personal autonomy." Macron hailed the vote as "an important step" toward a more humane approach to end-of-life care. A separate bill establishing a right to palliative care passed unopposed. France's proposal would be more restrictive than laws in countries such as Belgium or the Netherlands, where euthanasia - in which doctors give a lethal injection at the patient's request - has been legal since 2002 and extended to minors. Similar laws exist in Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, Canada, Australia, and Colombia. Medically assisted suicide, where patients take prescribed lethal medication themselves, is legal in Switzerland and several US states. Right-to-die campaigners have welcomed the law, though describing it as relatively modest in scope. "We've been waiting for this for decades," said Stephane Gemmani of the ADMD association. Critics warn the definitions are too broad, potentially allowing assisted dying for patients who could live for years. Some fear the bill could undermine medical ethics, erode care standards, and expose vulnerable people to subtle pressure to die. READ MORE: More Canadians choosing medically assisted death "It would be like a loaded pistol left on my bedside table," a 44-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease told a protest outside parliament, according to the BBC. This month, France's religious leaders issued a joint statement denouncing the "dangers" of an "anthropological rupture." Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau wrote on X this week that it is "not a bill of fraternity but a bill of abandonment." (
Epoch Times
28-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
French Lawmakers Back Assisted Suicide Law
France's lower house of parliament approved a bill on Tuesday to legalize assisted suicide, paving the way for medical professionals to help adults with incurable illnesses end their lives by taking a lethal substance. The bill, passed on May 27 by a vote of 305–199, would grant the right to assisted suicide to any French citizen over 18 suffering from a serious or incurable condition that is life-threatening, advanced, or terminal. According to the legislation, a team of medical professionals must confirm that the patient has a grave and incurable illness 'at an advanced or terminal stage' and is suffering. Anyone found to have obstructed someone's right to assisted suicide could face a two-year prison sentence and a 30,000 euro ($32,500) fine. The final passage of the long-debated bill is now heading to the Senate. Socialist Party lawmaker Olivier Falorni The Association for the Right to Die With Dignity (ADMD) also celebrated the move. Related Stories 5/14/2025 5/16/2025 'This is a time of joy for those of us who see hope in a dignified end of life, spared from unbearable suffering and needless agony,' ADMD said in a The official French government website Vie-Publique said that under the After administering the lethal substance, the doctor or nurse does not need to remain at the bedside but must stay nearby and within sight to intervene if necessary, it states. The full cost of assisted dying will be covered by France's national health insurance. Health professionals can refuse to take part in assisted suicide under a 'conscientious objection clause' but must refer the patient to another practitioner, it says. Eddy Casterman, a lawmaker with the Identity-Liberties party, voted against the bill. He said it was 'a dangerous slope.' In a May 27 post on Speaking at the Grande Loge de France on May 5, a prominent French Freemasonry Masonic lodge founded in 1894, Macron referred to assisted suicide as a 'lesser evil.' He also thanked the Freemasons for working extensively on the 'end-of-life debate.' Catholic French bishops denounced his remarks. 'No, Mr. President, the choice to kill and to help kill is not the lesser evil,' Archbishop Moulins-Beaufort said in a statement posted to 'It is simply death. This must be said without lying and without hiding behind words. Killing cannot be the choice of brotherhood or dignity. It is the choice of abandonment and refusal to help until the end. This transgression will weigh heavily on the most vulnerable and lonely members of our society.' Other religious leaders have voiced opposition to the legislation. This month, the Conference of Religious Leaders in France, which represents the Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist communities, said in a joint statement that the proposed French patients seeking to end their lives have often traveled abroad, particularly to Belgium and the Netherlands, where euthanasia has been legal since 2002. Spain authorized euthanasia in 2021, followed by Portugal in 2023. In the UK, lawmakers are Reuters contributed to this report.
DW
27-05-2025
- Health
- DW
France's National Assembly backs 'assisted dying' bill – DW – 05/27/2025
Lawmakers in the French lower house backed the right-to-die bill with 305 votes for and 199 against. French President Emmanuel Macron called it "an important step." France's contentious right-to-die bill has been approved by the National Assembly in its first reading, putting it on a path that could see patients being granted the right to die with medical assistance. Lawmakers voted in favor of the bill by a vote of 305 to 199, marking a key legislative step. The bill will now head to the Senate for further debate. Macron welcomes 'important step' "The vote by the National Assembly on the texts on the development of palliative care and assisted dying is an important step," said French President Emmanuel Macron on social media platform X. "With respect for sensitivities, doubts and hopes, the path of fraternity that I wished for is gradually opening up. With dignity and humanity," Macron said. Another palliative care bill seeking to bolster measures to relieve pain and preserve patient dignity was also adopted unanimously on Tuesday. Who could get medical assistance in dying? The legislation has strict conditions. For patients to receive medical assistance to die, they must be over 18 and either be French citizens or reside in France. Medical professionals would need to confirm the grave and incurable nature of patients' illnesses "at an advanced or terminal stage." The patients would need to be suffering from intolerable and untreatable pain and be seeking lethal medication of their own free will. Patients with severe psychiatric conditions and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease would not be eligible for the measures. If approved, a doctor would deliver a prescription for the lethal medication, which could be taken at home or at a nursing home or health care facility. UK's assisted dying bill: Emotional debate splits Parliament To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A source of contention The Association for the Right to Die with Dignity (ADMD) called the National Assembly vote "historic" and said that France had "the opportunity to join democracies concerned about individual freedoms, such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, and Australia." "It is a time of joy for those of us who see the hope of a controlled end of life, spared unappeasable suffering and unnecessary agony," the ADMD said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Conference of Religious Leaders in France (CRCF) — which represents the Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist communities — earlier this month jointly denounced the bill and warned of the "dangers" of an "anthropological rupture." Edited by: Sean Sinico
