In brief
France’s National Assembly has voted 291‑241 to legalise assisted dying for adults suffering from a serious, incurable illness, after three previous rejections by the Senate. The new law imposes rigorous safeguards: patients must freely declare their intention, doctors review the case within 15 days, and patients receive a two‑day reflection period before they can administer a lethal dose themselves. Opposition remains strong from the Catholic Church and some medical groups, while polls show a majority support for giving terminally ill patients a choice between palliative care and assisted dying. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will refer key provisions to the Constitutional Council for scrutiny before the bill becomes law, potentially joining other European nations that have already embraced assisted‑dying legislation.
France’s National Assembly voted 291‑241 to approve a new assisted‑dying law that imposes strict safeguards, following three earlier rejections by the Senate.
The bill allows adults with a “serious and incurable” life‑threatening illness that causes unbearable suffering to request assisted dying; the illness must be in an advanced or terminal stage. A patient must freely declare their intention to a doctor, who then evaluates the case within 15 days. After a two‑day reflection period the patient administers a lethal substance themselves; if unable, a doctor or nurse may do so under the same conditions.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will submit key sections of the law to France’s Constitutional Council for review, focusing on the reflection period, consent for patients with impaired judgment, and the role of healthcare facilities that traditionally provide palliative care.
While the law could bring France into line with other European jurisdictions—such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland—opposition remains strong from the Catholic Church and parts of the medical community, who argue that the legislation could turn terminally ill patients into a "burden."
Polls show a majority of French citizens support giving terminally ill people a choice between palliative care and assisted dying, but the debate continues to be politically contentious. The law’s passage marks a significant shift in France’s approach to end‑of‑life issues, set to move to the courts in the coming months.
