France Legalizes Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults
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IN SHORT
France's National Assembly has voted to legalize assisted dying for adults with serious and incurable illnesses. The bill, which allows for self-administration or administration by a medical professional, now faces a constitutional review.
Key Numbers
291votes for assisted dying bill
241votes against assisted dying bill
11countries with adopted assisted dying laws
Who's Involved
France's National Assembly
Lower house of parliament that voted to legalize assisted dying
Sébastien Lecornu
Prime Minister who will refer the bill to the Constitutional Council
Constitutional Council
Body that will review the bill for constitutional compliance
Emmanuel Macron
President who promised the bill as part of his 2022 reelection campaign
↳ Why This Matters
The legislation marks a significant shift in end-of-life care policy in France, aligning it with several other European nations that have legalized similar practices after years of debate.
Key facts
France's National Assembly voted to legalize assisted dying for adults with serious and incurable illnesses.
Patients must be over 18, suffering from a life-threatening condition with unbearable suffering, and capable of making a free and informed decision.
Assisted dying is permitted via self-administration or administration by a medical professional if the patient is unable to self-administer.
Health professionals can refuse to administer the injection on moral grounds but must refer the patient to another provider.
The bill will be referred to France's Constitutional Council for a legal review.
Psychological suffering alone is not a qualifying condition for assisted dying.
France's National Assembly has voted to legalize assisted dying for adults suffering from a "serious and incurable" illness that is life-threatening and has reached an advanced, irreversible or terminal stage. Patients must be over 18, capable of making a decision "freely and with full knowledge of the facts," and experiencing "unbearable" suffering. The bill allows for self-administration of a lethal injection or administration by a medical professional if the patient is unable to do so. Health professionals can refuse to participate on moral grounds but must refer the patient to another provider. Psychological suffering alone is excluded as a qualifying condition. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the bill would be referred to France's Constitutional Council for a legal review to ensure compliance with constitutional principles, particularly human dignity. The legislation brings France in line with other European countries like Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands that have legalized various forms of assisted dying.
Frequently asked questions
Adults over 18 suffering from a serious and incurable, life-threatening illness in an advanced, irreversible or terminal stage, experiencing unbearable suffering, and capable of making a free and informed decision.
Yes, health professionals can refuse on moral grounds but must refer the patient to another provider who can offer the service.
The Constitutional Council will review the bill to ensure it complies with the French Constitution and guarantees human dignity.
No, cases involving psychological suffering alone are excluded from the French bill.
What Happens Next
01The bill will undergo a legal review by France's Constitutional Council.
02The bill is expected to be formally enacted by the president after the constitutional review.
How It Developed
France's National Assembly voted to legalize assisted dying for adults with incurable illnesses.
French lawmakers voted to establish a legal right to assisted dying for adults with incurable illnesses.
France's parliament voted to adopt a law allowing the right to assisted dying for some terminally ill adults.
The lower chamber backed the law with 291 votes for and 241 against.
The bill will be referred to France's Constitutional Council for a legal review.
