ParisAP —
France’s National Assembly gave final approval Wednesday to a bill allowing adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication, the culmination of years of debate over end-of-life care.
The lower house of parliament approved the measure in a 291-241 vote after backing it in three previous readings. The vote completed parliament’s work on the legislation announced by French President Emmanuel Macron more than three years ago.
“In 2022, I committed to opening this path with the French people,” Macron said in a message posted on X. “With seriousness, with humility, and with full respect for our democracy, that commitment has been fulfilled.”
According to various estimates, assisted dying is available to around 300 million people worldwide, with euthanasia legal under certain conditions in some countries and assisted suicide allowed in others and in several U.S. states. France has an increasingly aging population and growing numbers of patients who require care for chronic illnesses.
