With a historical vote, the National Assembly of France approves the legalization of euthanasia

The French National Assembly approved on Tuesday in First Reading a proposal of law that legalizes and regulates for the first time euthanasia for incurable patients suffering from unbearable sufferings.

The vote result was 305 votes in favor and 199 against. From now on, the text will pass to the Senate in autumn, before returning to the assembly for its second reading debate, predictably at the beginning of 2026.

«There is still a long way to go» in Parliament, the Minister of Health, Catherine Vautrin, who opted to continue looking for «a consensus» as much as possible, acknowledged after the vote.

The French deputies also unanimously approved the 560 votes cast another law proposition to ensure access to palliative care to all patients who need it.

The text on euthanasia received support from the entire block on the left and the macronist center, while received the rejection of the conservative right, although with exceptions, since political groups gave freedom to vote to their deputies.

This legislative proposition has had a complicated legislative path, which began in 2022 and was interrupted by the early 2024 elections.

The new legal norm opens the possibility of receiving active help to die for serious or incurable patients in the advanced phase of their disease, suffering from unbearable sufferings and can express their will freely until the same day of their application.

That excludes patients in a coma or suffering from a deep Alzheimer’s and who had previously requested euthanasia but cannot give their express consent at the time of administration of products that cause death, unlike what happens in other European countries that have already legalized euthanasia.

The application must be examined within fifteen days by a group of doctors in a collegiate procedure. In case of approval, a two -day reflection phase is expected during which the patient can back down. From there, the procedure must take place within a maximum period of three months.

The text establishes that patients must administer the lethal substance (facilitated by a medical professional), unless they have an impossibility to do so, in which case it would be a doctor who would administer it.

For euthanasia supporters, the text falls short and creates too many obstacles, while for those who oppose it goes too far. Even so, the favorable deputies massively supported the text since they consider it better than the current situation.

The Minister of Health defined the procedure adopted by the National Assembly as «a French, strict and regulated approach.»

EFE