French President Emmanuel Macron said in Paris on Monday that he seeks to present a “French model for ending life”, in response to a recent vote by the Citizens’ Assembly in favor of legalizing euthanasia.
Euthanasia, or assisted killing, is referred to as the intentional taking of someone’s life to end their pain and suffering, under medical supervision. This sensitive issue is subject to different laws around the world.
Macron called on the government and lawmakers from various parliamentary groups to put together a proposal for end-of-life arrangements. He did not make any specific commitments nor explain what he meant in the controversial case of euthanasia.
The findings of the Citizens’ Council will serve as a starting point for discussions.
French law prohibits effectively aiding someone’s death by giving them a lethal drug, for example. However, laws allow passive euthanasia, by turning off the devices, and indirect euthanasia, where powerful pain-relieving drugs are given that have side effects that speed up death.
According to a statement published by the French Ethics Council, active euthanasia is something that can be ethically conceived under certain strict conditions.