France's President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday signed into law a measure legalizing assisted dying, following approval by the country's highest constitutional authority.
After the text of the law was published in the official journal, the president's office welcomed the outcome, saying the ruling "completes an exemplary democratic debate", adding it "provides an essential safeguard for our fellow citizens".
The office said the legislation could now be implemented "in the certainty that it rests on fully established democratic, ethical and constitutional foundations".
After years of debate, the French Parliament finally endorsed the reform last month, allowing eligible adults with untreatable illnesses to seek assisted dying.
The measure is officially termed a law on "end of life" or "aid in dying" rather than "assisted dying" or "euthanasia". The ruling places France alongside the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada, where the practice is already permitted.
