French MPs approve assisted dying law with strict rules after years of argument
France's National Assembly has voted to legalize assisted dying for adults suffering from incurable, terminal illnesses. The bill, which requires strict verification and patient-led administration, now faces further constitutional review.
Why it matters
This marks a significant shift in French social policy, aligning the nation with other European countries that have decriminalized assisted dying.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images Image caption, Polls suggest support for a change to the law, but there is considerable opposition politically - with some, as pictured here, saying it positions those eligible as a "burden"
France's National Assembly has voted to create a right to assisted dying under strict conditions, after years of debate and changes to the proposals.
MPs voted by 291 to 241 to back the bill, which had been rejected three times by the upper house of parliament, the Senate.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is set to refer parts of the bill to France's Constitutional Council for examination before it can become law.
It would allow assisted dying for French adults with a "serious and incurable" life-threatening illness "in an advanced or terminal stage". The illness would need to leave them in constant physical or psychological suffering that is unbearable or resistant to treatment.
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