France’s National Assembly to give final approval to assisted-dying bill

The bill would, for the first time in France, authorize assisted suicide and, in certain cases, euthanasia, subject to a series of conditions.

If adopted, France would join a small number of countries that permit euthanasia, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, and Uruguay.

The reform was launched by President Macron in 2022, following the creation of a citizens' convention that, in February 2023, backed the introduction of active assistance in dying.

The bill has undergone a lengthy parliamentary process. The Senate rejected the assisted dying legislation three times, but the government decided to give the National Assembly to have the final decision, in accordance with French law.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said Tuesday that, if the bill is approved, it will be referred to the Constitutional Council to assess whether some of its provisions comply with constitutional principles.

The legislation received majority support in three previous votes in the National Assembly. Lawmakers were allowed a free vote on the issue, with most left-wing and Macron-aligned deputies supporting the bill and most conservative and far-right lawmakers opposing it.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the Netherlands had recorded its first case of euthanasia involving a child under 12 since legislation allowing the practice in exceptional circumstances took effect.