After nearly three months of debate, the participants in the citizens’ convention came out in favor of a change in the law for “active assistance in dying”.
Emmanuel Macron will outline “by the end of March” the follow-up to be given to the work of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life, government spokesman Olivier Véran announced on Wednesday.
“He will receive the members of the Citizens’ Convention as soon as their work is completed”, which must be returned on March 19, he indicated during the report of the Council of Ministers.
“And so by the end of March, he will have the opportunity to give vademecum, to prepare the rest of the work,” he added.
“Consult in all directions”
After nearly three months of debate, the 180 or so participants in the citizens’ convention voted on Sunday in favor of a change in the law for “active assistance in dying”.
Regarding the modalities of this aid in dying, 72% were in favor of assisted suicide, 66% in favor of euthanasia. Some questions remain unanswered, in particular that of the conscience of people at the end of life.
Since 2016, the so-called Claeys Leonetti law has made it possible to go as far as “deep and continuous sedation” of certain patients until their death, without however making it possible to actively cause their death or to give them the means to do so.
“In addition, we continue to consult the healthcare community, users, political forces in all directions”, continued Olivier Véran.
The minister specified that he would soon go to Spain, with “parliamentarians from all sides”, “to look at what works and what does not work in the countries which have already legislated”. He has already made similar trips to Switzerland and Belgium.
