Overview
- The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Humanes Sterben confirmed that Alice and Ellen Kessler, both 89, died by assisted suicide in their home near Munich.
- A 2020 Constitutional Court ruling recognized a right to self‑determined dying and left room for safeguards, yet the Bundestag has not passed a new regulatory law.
- Lauterbach called the current situation ethically unacceptable, arguing that decision-making capacity is not reliably assessed and that financial incentives must be excluded.
- DGHS reports rising use of assisted suicide, from 623 cases it accompanied in 2024 to roughly 800 this year, intensifying calls for oversight, registration and clearer rules.
- A cross‑party group led by SPD lawmaker Lars Castellucci is drafting a new proposal, while reports indicate a separate suicide‑prevention law is targeted for 2026.