France approves assisted suicide for unbearable suffering

The French parliament has agreed to legalize assisted suicide after years of debate. Patients suffering unbearably with no prospect of recovery will have the right to self-administer a lethal substance.

The measure is part of a broader end-of-life law currently under parliamentary review. The proposal passed with 75 votes in favor and 41 against. Initially, the draft included provisions allowing doctors to administer lethal doses, but this was deemed too radical and amended to restrict the role of physicians.

President Macron championed the reform, citing cases where terminally ill patients had to travel abroad for assisted dying. A citizen's council in 2022 recommended legalizing the practice, but legislative delays postponed the vote until now. The final law, including criteria for eligibility, will be voted on by May 27.