France Approves Assisted Dying Bill, Moves Closer to Legalising Euthanasia

France has taken a significant step toward legalising assisted dying after the National Assembly approved a bill allowing eligible adults with incurable illnesses to seek medical assistance to end their lives.

The legislation, a key social reform promised by President Emmanuel Macron during his 2022 re-election campaign, would make France one of a limited number of countries to permit assisted dying if it survives a constitutional review.

Reacting to the vote, Macron said the passage of the bill fulfilled a major campaign pledge.

"In 2022, I made a commitment to open this path with the French people. With seriousness, humility and full respect for our democracy, that commitment has been honoured," the French president wrote on X.

Under the proposed law, only adults suffering from an incurable illness who are capable of making a free and informed decision would qualify. Eligible patients must also be experiencing unbearable physical pain that cannot be relieved through treatment or after choosing to stop or refuse medical care.

Requests for assisted dying would first be evaluated by a physician, who would determine whether the applicant meets the legal criteria before consulting a review panel. The attending doctor would make the final decision, while patients would retain the right to withdraw their request at any point.

The legislation also stipulates that patients must administer the prescribed life-ending medication themselves, except where they are physically unable to do so, in which case a healthcare professional may provide assistance.

Supporters of the bill welcomed its passage as a historic milestone. Jonathan Denis, of the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity, described the vote as a major breakthrough while acknowledging that more work remains.

The bill's sponsor, Olivier Falorni, also paid tribute to terminally ill patients who died before such legislation became possible, saying his thoughts were with them and their families.

Although the Senate had previously rejected the proposal, the government relied on a constitutional mechanism that allows the National Assembly to have the final say.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has since referred the legislation to the Constitutional Council for a constitutional review following concerns that the Senate did not fully debate the final version of the bill.

The Constitutional Council will now determine whether the legislation complies with France's constitution and may approve, amend or reject parts of the law before it can take effect.

The proposal has sparked intense political and public debate. Several conservative politicians, including Senate President Gérard Larcher and former Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, opposed the measure, arguing it weakens legal protections for human life.

Republicans lawmaker Justine Gruet described the vote as a historic turning point, saying Parliament had decided that "a human life could be legally ended," adding that history would judge the decision.

Outside Parliament, demonstrators also protested against the bill. Among them was Orthodox Christian cleric Emmanuel Delhoume, who condemned the reform, describing it as part of what he called "a diabolical chain" of social changes.

If approved by the Constitutional Council, the legislation will formally make France one of the few nations to legalise assisted dying under strict medical and legal conditions.