France to legalise assisted dying
After years of debate, France's National Assembly has voted to pass a law that will permit assisted dying for the terminally ill. Under the strict conditions that each case is assessed by an interdisciplinary panel that includes a medical professional. Since the Senate has already rejected the bill several times, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu plans to refer it to the Constitutional Council.
Still not liberal enough
The Neue Zürcher Zeitung finds the ruling too restrictive:
“As in other countries, opponents are warning about a damn burst, with easier access to suicide methods putting disabled people or frail and elderly people under increasing pressure to take their own lives. That would be a dystopian scenario indeed, reminiscent of the Nazis' euthanasia programmes. While experience in countries such as the Netherlands and Switzerland shows that the desire not to be a burden can be a motivation for some people to end their lives, in most cases, the loss of autonomy and quality of life, or severe pain, are clearly the driving factors. Liberal laws on assisted dying certainly do not lead to a division of life into 'worthy' and 'worthless'.”
Psychedelics as an alternative
Svenska Dagbladet points to research findings indicating that psychedelics can alleviate anxiety in the final stages of life:
“France's move towards assisted dying should prompt Sweden to give serious political consideration to the issue and discuss the suffering that drives the desire for assisted dying. This is particularly relevant given the option of psychedelic treatments, which could one day make premature death seem less attractive as the only way out. ... This could potentially be the most compassionate role of the healthcare system: providing not only relief, cure and comfort, but also creating the opportunity to come to terms with life before it ends.”
Glossing over reality
The facts about what the legislation means are being concealed, criticises Gauthier Vaillant, editor-in-chief of L'Opinion:
“The truth has been distorted at every stage of this debate. Terms such as 'euthanasia' and 'assisted suicide' have been avoided, the bill's proponents have tirelessly sought to gloss over the reality: helping someone die is being legalised in France. ... Under 'extremely strict' conditions, as they constantly claim? On the contrary, the French model turns out to be one of the most lenient: vague criteria regarding life expectancy; a 'collective decision' that is a sham, having been scrutinised by just one doctor; a two-day reflection period. ... And where is the freedom of choice when access to palliative care is not even guaranteed for half of the eligible patients?”
Reactionary mood stronger than ever
Libération applauds the decision:
“At last! … It has been a long and complicated journey, but this social progress, which was decided with the backing of the French people, is of course to be welcomed. ... But there is a caveat: for years, with every advance society has made, the conservative parties have generally remained entrenched in their opposition. The current mood is more reactionary than ever before. … The French presidential election is due to take place next April and May. This leaves little time for the law to take effect and have an impact. That's a pity.”
Paris still capable of reforms
The taz's France correspondent, Rudolf Balmer, welcomes the move:
“All those families who had desperately hoped that their suffering loved ones would be given medical assistance to end their lives, which had become so unbearable, can now breathe a sigh of relief. The same goes for all the doctors and carers who felt powerless in this situation. ... As with the legalisation of abortion, the conservative and reactionary opponents of assisted dying will not give up. ... The practical implementation will be a new battle. ... At least it is encouraging to see that France is still capable of reform on sociopolitical issues. That has been anything but a given in recent years.”
Controversial changes without escalation
Democracy is still intact in France, emphasises Paul Ackermann, France correspondent for Le Temps:
“The personal and emotional aspects of the issue have been respected. Free voting was fully preserved across all parliamentary groups. Everyone was able to vote according to their conscience. Despite a public debate that bordered on a culture war, French democracy has succeeded in bringing about a change that many citizens had been waiting for. … The popular uprising many had feared has failed to materialise, and the debate did not escalate. The French people are ready, and their parliamentarians have understood this. This shows that this democracy still functions even in the midst of a crisis. A dignified stance that should also be applied to other issues.”
Willingness to debate
At least France is not just sticking its head in the sand, writes La Stampa approvingly:
.“For three years now, French MPs have grappled with and debated one of the most fundamental issues of our time. ... Their debates were of course picked up by the newspapers, television and social media, and in turn kindled public debate in which citizens were encouraged to freely express their opinions. It may not be possible to reach a full consensus and the law may have to be further adapted in the future. But this is precisely how a country grows: by embarking on a process of seeking a solution and asking itself fundamental questions”