French Lawmakers Approve Strict Assisted Dying Bill

France just took a major step toward legalizing assisted dying. The National Assembly on Wednesday approved a bill that would allow adults with "serious and incurable" illnesses in an advanced or terminal stage to request help to end their lives, voting 291–241 after years of political wrangling and repeated Senate pushback. Patients would need to be French citizens or legal residents who are experiencing constant, unbearable physical or psychological suffering resistant to treatment and clearly express their wish to a doctor, who would have 15 days to make a decision, reports the BBC.

If approved, the patient would get a lethal substance and, after a two-day reflection period, be expected to administer it themselves; if they are unable, a doctor or nurse could do so. The decision would be rechecked by a physician on the day of the act. Psychological suffering alone won't be eligible for medically assisted dying, nor will people with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

The AP explains the upper house of parliament, the Senate, rejected the bill, but French law gives the National Assembly the final say when the two houses don't align. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu plans to refer the bill to the Constitutional Council, which will have up to a month to determine whether it complies with the Constitution, after which the law could then take effect.