The ink of the “Citizens’ Convention” report has barely dried up in favor of opening up to euthanasia and assisted suicide in France. French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he wants a new law for euthanasia by the end of summer 2023. A move that is considered a victory for some families who had to go to Belgium or Switzerland to implement it and support associations For this decision both.
At the initiative of the President of the Republic, 184 citizens were invited at the beginning of last December to express their opinion on the possible development of the “Clays Lisnetti” law on the end of life that France passed in 2016 and does not apply it widely and allows medical caregivers to deep anesthetize patients who are hopeless or about to Death and those whose suffering is unbearable, with stopping the supply of water, food and medicines to the patient until the operation ends with death.
Three months later, she announcedCitizens End of Life AgreementOn Sunday, April 2, 2023, on the position of the majority aimed at legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide. It submitted 146 proposals in this regard.
On its basis, the Head of State intends to build what he called the “French model at the end of life,” as he announced during a speech he delivered to the citizens participating in this agreement. Macron also wants “a 10-year national plan for pain management and palliative care.” However, he closed the door to any help in death for minors.
The opinion of many organizations, including the “Right to Die with Dignity” association, which has been campaigning for more than 20 years to obtain this right on French soil, delighted me: “I am pleased to see that more than 76% of the participants support euthanasia, which surprised us even more It is Macron’s speech, which came quickly about working on an organized bill, and this is considered a precedent.” The delegate general of the association, Philip Lohic, confirms to “Sky News Arabia”.
Many members of the association want the law to be inspired by the Belgian model, which allows access to active euthanasia carried out by a doctor. Unlike Switzerland where only assisted suicide is allowed. This means that a person must be fully conscious in order to kill themselves. Whereas in France, passive euthanasia, i.e. refusal or discontinuation of treatment necessary to maintain life, is permitted.
On the other hand, the Vice-President of the Council of the Medical Association, Jean-Marcel Morgue, called for setting certain limits for this right to die. He told “Sky News Arabia”, “We are against any measure of effective assistance in death for people who are unable to express their will or minors. With the invocation of the ‘conscience clause’, which allows a doctor to refuse to perform medical work that would contradict his convictions, or” provided for in the law.”
Morges insists that the subject of “euthanasia” is “too sensitive” and cannot be unanimous. But according to him, “there is consensus on two points, the specific ‘conscience clause’ and the provision of means for the real application of the Claes-Leonetti law, namely the continuation of anesthesia in an incurable disease.”
And if the law is changed towards legalizing active assisted death – euthanasia and/or assisted suicide – the union intends to stress that it would not be desirable for a physician to participate in an operation that would result in euthanasia, a physician cannot intentionally cause death By giving a lethal product.
Philip thinks that the results of this agreement correspond to the opinion of French society. In the language of numbers, he refers to opinion polls that indicate that more than 80% of French people support euthanasia, and that it is necessary to move forward with this law, especially after the picture became clear to them and they made sure that the law does not affect people with autism, the disabled, or people with depression, as was previously rumored. Because they are not incurable diseases and do not cause the torment that we intend.