France passes landmark assisted dying law after years of debate

Jul 15, 2026

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.