Committee Approves Draft Bill Establishing Legal Right to Aid in End-of-Life Decisions for MEPs
It's about that time, baby! After a proposed amendment, what was once a "possibility" is now officially a "right." The end-of-life bill, recently approved by the Social Affairs Committee of France's National Assembly (on May 2, 2025, if we're keeping it real), grants terminally ill individuals the right to request assistance in dying, be it euthanasia or assisted suicide.
The government's text, broken into two bills by Prime Minister François Bayrou, sailed through the Social Affairs Committee with flying colors. One bill, focusing on palliative care, was unanimously adopted on April 11. The other, centering on assisted dying, received a favorable vote of 28 to 15 (with one abstention). These bills will square off in a public session in the Hemicycle starting from May 12.
So, what's the deal with this end-of-life bill? Introduced by MP Olivier Falorni in March 2025, the bill seeks to provide "aid in dying" for terminally ill adults experiencing refractory suffering, requiring a collegial medical decision. Advocacy groups like the Association for the Right to Die in Dignity (ADMD) are keeping their fingers crossed for legalization by the end of 2025. But let's keep it real—parliamentary approval is still needed.
Naysayers and Obstacles Galore Critics worry that France might end up sticking their neck out like the Netherlands, where the number of euthanasia cases increased to 10% in 2024. Dubious of the bill, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) has petitioned three UN bodies, concerned about potential rights violations of disabled and elderly individuals.
When can we expect this bill to become law? Parliamentary debate is slated to continue through May 2025, with the full Assembly debate following after April reviews. Once the Senate debates, amends, and returns the consolidated version to parliament for approval, it'll be game over (for those opposed, that is).
France's 2016 deep sedation law is currently in force but is under fire for being inadequate for neurodegenerative disease patients. The current bill aims to remedy this issue by allowing earlier patient-initiated requests. Stay tuned, folks—this ain't over until the fat ladies sing!
- The end-of-life bill, proposed by MP Olivier Falorni in March 2025, aims to grant terminally ill individuals the right to request assistance in dying.
- The end-of-life bill, recently approved by the Social Affairs Committee of France's National Assembly, focuses on providing aid in dying for terminally ill adults experiencing refractory suffering.
- The government's end-of-life bill, which was broken into two bills by Prime Minister François Bayrou, is expected to undergo further debate and discussions in parliament, with the Senate debates, amendments, and return of the consolidated version to parliament for approval being the final steps.
- Critics of the end-of-life bill fear that France might end up resembling the Netherlands, where the number of euthanasia cases increased to 10% in 2024.
- Advocacy groups like the Association for the Right to Die in Dignity (ADMD) are hopeful that the end-of-life bill will become law by the end of 2025.
- Parliamentary approval is still needed for the end-of-life bill, which seeks to provide "aid in dying" for terminally ill adults and remedy the inadequacies of France's 2016 deep sedation law for neurodegenerative disease patients.
