The French parliament on Wednesday adopted an assisted dying bill, providing adults a legal right to get a lethal substance administered under strict conditions.
The new law will allow adults, French citizens or legal resident of France, who are suffering from serious and incurable life-threatening illnesses to express a free and informed choice to end their life. The lethal substance could be self-administered or if the person is physically unable, it can be administered by a doctor or a nurse.
The bill was adopted with 291 to 241 votes.
The new law has raised serious ethical and political debate in the country with supporters arguing that it provides greater autonomy to an individual over their life. They argue that when the suffering is so great that you can no longer do anything, assisted-dying provides control over how the patient die.
In an interview with Reuters, a representative of France’s association for the right to die in dignity (ADMD), Anne Raynaud, said: “People will be able to decide for themselves when and how they want to die once their suffering has become unbearable and can no longer be relieved.”
Critics of assisted dying bills have expressed ethical, procedural, and safety concerns. They argue that the bill carries the potential for vulnerable individuals to be coerced into ending their lives.
The bill was earlier rejected by the French Senate, however, it will still become a law after a review from Constitutional Council because lower house of Parliament has final say in adopting a new law in France.
France is not the only country to adopt the assisted-dying bill as several European countries, including Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands have already allowed assisted dying in one form or another.
2026-07-15 23:19:00
