Macron backs ‘end of life’ bill, plans parliamentary debate in May

Macon says he doesn’t want to call new legislation euthanasia or assisted suicide (File)

French President Emmanuel Macron said for the first time on Sunday that he supports new end-of-life legislation that would allow what he calls “assisted dying” and wants his government to introduce a draft bill to parliament in May.

France’s neighbors Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands have passed laws allowing medically assisted death in certain circumstances. But France rejected the move, in part due to pressure from the Catholic Church.

The Cleese-Leonetti end-of-life law passed in 2016 authorizes deep sedation, but only for people whose prognosis is threatened in the short term.

Speaking to Libération, Macon said he did not want to call the new legislation euthanasia or assisted suicide, but “assisted dying.”

He said: “Strictly speaking it does not create new rights or freedoms, but it opens a path that hitherto did not exist and opens up the possibility of requesting assistance in dying under certain strict conditions.”

Macron said that these conditions need to be met and the medical panel will evaluate and ensure that the criteria for the decision are correct.

He said this only concerned adults who were capable of making decisions and whose life prognosis was at risk in the medium term, such as with terminal cancer.

Macron said family members could also appeal the decision.

The bill is based on the work of a panel of 184 randomly appointed French citizens who debated the issue.

When their work ended last year, 76 percent said they favored making some form of aid disappear for those who want it.

France’s decision to push for end-of-life legislation comes after lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to enshrine abortion rights in the country’s constitution earlier this month.

Macron has been trying to boost his image as a social reformer just three months before European Parliament elections in June. His party trails the far-right National Alliance in opinion polls by more than 10 percentage points.

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