France's parliament has passed a landmark bill legalizing assisted dying, with the National Assembly approving it 291-241. Fulfilling a promise by President Macron, the law allows adults with incurable, life-threatening illnesses to receive a lethal substance under strict conditions. The bill faces a constitutional review and strong opposition from religious groups and some politicians, who fear it could pressure vulnerable people.
Assisted dying law passage
- ▪The conservative-majority Senate, France's upper house, had previously rejected the bill three times
- ▪Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will refer the bill to the Constitutional Council for review before it can become law
- ▪France's lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, passed a bill to legalize assisted dying on July 15, 2026
- ▪The final vote in the National Assembly was 291 in favor to 241 against
- ▪The bill fulfills a 2022 re-election campaign promise by President Emmanuel Macron
Eligibility criteria requirements
- ▪Eligibility for assisted dying is restricted to adults who are French citizens or legal residents of France
- ▪Patients must have a serious, incurable, and life-threatening illness in an advanced or terminal stage
- ▪The illness must cause constant physical or psychological suffering deemed unbearable or resistant to treatment
- ▪Eligibility excludes cases of psychological suffering alone and people with severe psychiatric or neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's
Procedural safeguards
- ▪Once a request is approved, the patient must confirm their intention after a reflection period of at least two days
- ▪The lethal substance is to be self-administered, unless the patient is physically unable, in which case a doctor or nurse may assist
- ▪A patient's request must be reviewed by a doctor, who consults with at least one other physician and another healthcare professional
- ▪Healthcare workers may refuse to participate for moral reasons but are required to refer the patient to a willing professional
Public support levels
- ▪Supporters, including the Association for the Right to Die With Dignity, argue the law grants autonomy to those with unbearable suffering
- ▪A February Ifop poll indicated that 84% of French respondents approved of the assisted dying bill
Medical opposition
- ▪Christophe Bentz of the far-right National Rally party called the text "very dangerous" and warned of potential "abuses."
- ▪Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu raised concerns about the bill's application to the approximately 900,000 adults in France under legal guardianship
Religious group opposition
- ▪Religious groups, including the Catholic Church and leaders of the Muslim and Jewish faiths, have voiced opposition to the bill
- ▪One Catholic bishop threatened to deny communion to lawmakers who voted in favor of the assisted dying bill
- ▪Conservative politicians like former interior minister Bruno Retailleau have staunchly opposed the legislation
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