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.