French National Assembly Approves Euthanasia Bill

The French National Assembly gave its final approval on Wednesday to a bill allowing adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication, thereby ending years of debate over end-of-life care.

The National Assembly passed the bill by a vote of 291 in favor to 241 against, following its approval in three previous readings, thus completing Parliament’s work on the legislation announced by French President Emmanuel Macron more than three years ago.

Various estimates suggest that euthanasia is available to approximately 300 million people worldwide. Euthanasia is legally permitted under certain conditions in some countries, assisted suicide is allowed in others, and in many U.S. states. France is experiencing increasing population aging, with a growing number of patients requiring care for chronic illnesses in the country.