Latest news with #OlivierFalorni
LeMonde
14 hours ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
Assisted dying could soon become legal in France. This MP was the driving force
In the café of the Assemblée Nationale on Monday, May 26, Olivier Falorni was frequently interrupted as he spoke – either by a fellow MP, stopping by to congratulate him with a handshake, or by one of the many journalists who asked him for a comment. The previous two weeks had been intense for the MP representing Charente-Maritime. He served as the lead rapporteur for two bills, on one palliative care and one on assisted dying, examined by the Assemblée Nationale. His three-day stubble showed that he had let himself enjoy a rare "day off" on Sunday, before tackling the final sprint leading up to the bills' votes in the Assemblée, on Tuesday. It was like a leg in the middle of a long marathon – one that was far from over – to defend assisted dying, a cause he has championed for years, despite all the obstacles in his path. His longstanding advocacy and his role in the two bills on end-of-life care, which were both adopted by the Assemblée Nationale on Tuesday, made him a central figure during the debates. The discussions took place in a calm atmosphere, despite aid in dying being a divisive issue. The lead rapporteur welcomed the serenity, contrasting it to "the violence of the exchanges" around the same-sex marriage law, in 2013, and the Veil law on decriminalizing abortion, in 1975. "This Assemblée will be able to have a collective pride for having managed to, for the first time in history, conduct a [debate on a] major societal issue in a calm way," said Falorni, with his trademark smile.
Epoch Times
2 days ago
- 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.
NBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- NBC News
France's National Assembly adopts long-debated bill legalizing end-of-life options
PARIS — France 's lower house of parliament adopted a bill Tuesday to allow adults with incurable illness to take lethal medication, as public demands grow across Europe for legal end-of-life options. The National Assembly vote is a key step on the long-debated issue, though others remain before the bill can become law. 'I'm thinking of all the patients and their loved ones that I've met over more than a decade. Many are no longer here, and they always told me: Keep fighting,' said Olivier Falorni, the bill's general rapporteur, amid applause from fellow lawmakers. The proposed measure on lethal medication defines assisted dying as allowing use under certain conditions so that people may take it themselves. Only those whose physical condition does not allow them to do it alone would be able to get help from a doctor or a nurse. The bill, which received 305 votes in favor and 199 against, will be sent to the Senate, where the conservative majority could seek to amend it. A definitive vote on the measure could take months to be scheduled amid France's long and complex process. The National Assembly has final say over the Senate. Activists have criticized the complexity and length of the parliamentary process, which they say is penalizing patients waiting for end-of-life options. In parallel, another bill on palliative care meant to reinforce measures to relieve pain and preserve patients' dignity was also adopted Tuesday, unanimously. To benefit, patients would need to be over 18 and be French citizens or live in France. A team of medical professionals would need to confirm that the patient has a grave and incurable illness 'at an advanced or terminal stage,' is suffering from intolerable and untreatable pain and is seeking lethal medication of their own free will. Patients with severe psychiatric conditions and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease will not be eligible. The person would initiate the request for lethal medication and confirm the request after a period of reflection. 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. A 2023 report indicated that most French citizens back legalizing end-of-life options, and opinion polls show growing support over the past 20 years. Initial discussions in parliament last year were abruptly interrupted by President Emmanuel Macron 's decision to dissolve the National Assembly, plunging France into a months-long political crisis. 'What a long road it has been, contrary to what the public thought, contrary to what the French people believed,' said Jonathan Denis, president of the Association for the Right to Die With Dignity. Earlier this month, Macron suggested he could ask French voters to approve the measure via referendum if parliament discussions get off track. Macron on Tuesday called the vote an important step, adding on social media that 'with respect for different sensibilities, doubts, and hopes, the path of fraternity I had hoped for is gradually beginning to open. With dignity and humanity.' Many French people have traveled to neighboring countries where medically assisted suicide or euthanasia are legal. Medically assisted suicide involves patients taking, of their own free will, a lethal drink or medication prescribed by a doctor to those who meet certain criteria. Euthanasia involves doctors or other health practitioners giving patients who meet certain criteria a lethal injection at their own request. 'I cannot accept that French men and women have to go to Switzerland — if they can afford it — or to Belgium to be supported in their choice, or that French men and women are being accompanied clandestinely in other countries,' Denis said. French religious leaders issued a joint statement this month to denounce the bill, warning about the dangers of an 'anthropological rupture.' The Conference of Religious Leaders in France, which represents the Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist communities, said the proposed measures risk exerting pressure on older people and those with illnesses or disabilities. Assisted suicide is allowed in Switzerland and several U.S. states. Euthanasia is currently legal in the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Australia, Colombia, Belgium and Luxembourg under certain conditions. In the U.K., lawmakers are debating a bill to help terminally ill adults end their lives in England and Wales after giving it initial approval in November.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Health
- Korea Herald
France's National Assembly adopts long-debated bill end-of-life options
PARIS (AP) — France's lower house of parliament adopted a bill Tuesday to allow adults with incurable illnesses to take lethal medication, as public demands grow across Europe for legal end-of-life options. The National Assembly vote is a key step on the long-debated issue, though others remain before the bill can become law. 'I'm thinking of all the patients and their loved ones that I've met over more than a decade. Many are no longer here, and they always told me: Keep fighting," said Olivier Falorni, the bill's general rapporteur, amid applause from fellow lawmakers. The proposed measure on lethal medication defines assisted dying as allowing use under certain conditions so that people may take it themselves. Only those whose physical condition doesn't allow them to do it alone would be able to get help from a doctor or a nurse. The bill, which received 305 votes in favor and 199 against, will be sent to the Senate, where the conservative majority could seek to amend it. A definitive vote on the measure could take months to be scheduled amid France's long and complex process. The National Assembly has final say over the Senate. Activists have criticized the complexity and length of the parliamentary process that they say is penalizing patients waiting for end-of-life options. In parallel, another bill on palliative care meant to reinforce measures to relieve pain and preserve patients' dignity was also adopted Tuesday, unanimously. To benefit, patients would need to be over 18 and be French citizens or live in France. A team of medical professionals would need to confirm that the patient has a grave and incurable illness 'at an advanced or terminal stage,' is suffering from intolerable and untreatable pain, and is seeking lethal medication of their own free will. Patients with severe psychiatric conditions and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease won't be eligible. The person would initiate the request for lethal medication and confirm the request after a period of reflection. If approved, a doctor would deliver a prescription for the lethal medication, which could be taken at home or at a nursing home or a health care facility. A 2023 report indicated that most French citizens back legalizing end-of-life options, and opinion polls show growing support over the past 20 years. Initial discussions in parliament last year were abruptly interrupted by President Emmanuel Macron's decision to dissolve the National Assembly, plunging France into a monthslong political crisis. 'What a long road it has been, contrary to what the public thought, contrary to what the French people believed,' said Jonathan Denis, president of the Association for the Right to Die With Dignity. Earlier this month, Macron suggested he could ask French voters to approve the measure via referendum if parliament discussions get off track. Macron on Tuesday called the vote an important step, adding on social media that "with respect for different sensibilities, doubts, and hopes, the path of fraternity I had hoped for is gradually beginning to open. With dignity and humanity.' Many French people have traveled to neighboring countries where medically assisted suicide or euthanasia is legal. Medically assisted suicide involves patients taking, of their own free will, a lethal drink or medication prescribed by a doctor to those who meet certain criteria. Euthanasia involves doctors or other health practitioners giving patients who meet certain criteria a lethal injection at their own request. 'I cannot accept that French men and women have to go to Switzerland — if they can afford it — or to Belgium to be supported in their choice, or that French men and women are being accompanied clandestinely in other countries," Denis said. French religious leaders this month issued a joint statement to denounce the bill, warning about the dangers of an 'anthropological rupture.' The Conference of Religious Leaders in France, which represents the Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist communities, said the proposed measures risk exerting pressure on older people and those with illnesses or disabilities. Assisted suicide is allowed in Switzerland and several US states. Euthanasia is currently legal in the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Australia, Colombia, Belgium and Luxembourg under certain conditions. In the United Kingdom, lawmakers are debating a bill to help terminally ill adults end their lives in England and Wales after giving it initial approval in November.
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- Health
- AsiaOne
French lawmakers approve assisted dying bill, paving the way for approval, World News
PARIS — French lower house lawmakers approved a bill on Tuesday (May 27) to legalise assisted dying, paving the way for France to become the latest European nation to allow terminally ill people to end their lives. The final passage of the bill remains some way off, with the text now heading to the Senate. However, the legislation is expected to pass, with polls showing more than 90 per cent of French people in favour of laws that give people with terminal diseases or interminable suffering the right to die. French President Emmanuel Macron called the vote in the National Assembly "an important step". The bill, which was approved in parliament by 305 votes to 199, provides the right to assisted dying to any French person over the age of 18 suffering from a serious or incurable condition that is life-threatening, advanced or terminal. The person, who must freely make their decision, must also have constant physical or psychological suffering that cannot be alleviated. Lawmakers stipulated that psychological suffering alone would not be enough to end one's life. The patient can administer the lethal dose themselves or by an accredited medical professional if they are physically unable. Healthcare workers who object to doing so are free to opt out. Anyone found to have obstructed someone's right to die can face a two-year prison sentence and a 30,000 euro fine. Laws to enable assisted dying are gathering steam across Europe. In November, British lawmakers voted in favour of allowing assisted dying, paving the way for Britain to follow countries such as Australia, Canada and some US states in what would be the biggest social reform in a generation. In March, the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown Dependency off northwest England, approved an assisted dying bill, potentially making the island the first place in the British Isles where terminally ill people could end their lives. "France is one of the last countries in Western Europe to legislate on this issue," leftist lawmaker Olivier Falorni told Reuters. "We are in a global process ... France is behind, and I hope we will do it with our own model." [[nid:709767]]
