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French Parliament Reignites End-of-Life Legislation Debate After 10-Month Pause

Two proposals addressing palliative care and aid to die are under review, with final votes scheduled for May 27, as lawmakers tackle ethical and procedural challenges.

Yannick Neuder et Catherine Vautrin à la sortie du conseil des ministres, le 26 mars.
Manifestation devant l'Assemblée nationale, à Paris, le 23 janvier 2024. 
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Overview

  • The French National Assembly resumed discussions on April 8-9, 2025, to review two separate bills on end-of-life care after a 10-month hiatus caused by the Assembly's dissolution in June 2024.
  • The aid to die proposal seeks to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia under five strict eligibility criteria, including being an adult, a French resident, and suffering from an incurable, advanced, or terminal condition causing unbearable suffering.
  • The legislation has been divided into two distinct bills—one focusing on palliative care and the other on aid to die—to allow differentiated voting, a move that has drawn both support and criticism.
  • Key debates center on ambiguous terms like 'pronostic vital engagé,' the role of advance directives, and whether a single doctor or a collegial medical team should authorize aid to die requests.
  • Final votes on both bills are set for May 27, 2025, with proponents emphasizing the need for timely action and opponents raising concerns about potential procedural and ethical implications.