President Macron announced a future debate to be held in France on legalizing euthanasia. Polls within recent years show that the majority of people in France support the legalization of euthanasia, as we read in France24:
Macron during his campaign for reelection earlier this year had promised to open the debate, suggesting he was personally in favor of legalizing physician assisted suicide.
Some French patients are currently traveling to other European countries to seek further options.
Euthanasia is currently legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain under certain conditions. In Switzerland, assisted suicide where the patient takes a lethal dose of drugs themself is allowed.
French polls in recent years steadily show a broad majority of people are in favor of legalizing euthanasia.
The current law allows patients to request “deep, continuous sedation altering consciousness until death” but only when their condition is likely to lead to a quick death. Doctors are allowed to stop life-sustaining treatments, including artificial hydration and nutrition. Sedation and painkillers are allowed “even if they may shorten the person’s life.”