French Prime Minister Proposes Splitting End-of-Life Legislation

François Bayrou seeks to separate euthanasia and palliative care in a move criticized by advocates and political allies.

Prime Minister François Bayrou announced plans to divide the end-of-life legislation into two separate bills: one addressing palliative care and the other focused on assisted dying.
The proposal responds to opposition from conservative and religious groups, who have expressed strong objections to legalizing euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Critics, including the president of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, and advocacy groups, argue that separating the issues may delay or derail progress on assisted dying legislation.
A 2023 citizens' convention revealed significant public support, with 75.6% of participants favoring assisted dying under strict safeguards, but the government has faced internal divisions on the issue.
Bayrou's move has been described as a political compromise, with proponents of assisted dying fearing the issue may lose momentum in Parliament.