A "
citizen's convention
" to settle the debate on the end of life.
Thursday, during the press conference presenting his program, the President of the Republic announced that he would opt for a consultation if he were re-elected.
Read alsoEnd of life: before legislating, let's ensure that the current texts are applied
Emmanuel Macron paved the way for a possible change in the law by indicating that the conclusions of this convention would be subject
to “national representation or the people
”.
It is up to them to make the choice or not “
to go to the end of the path that will be recommended
”.
A proposal already debated
Without detailing his convictions, he however welcomed the Claeys-Leonetti law and considered that the possibility of leaving advance directives on his end of life was not well enough known.
"
On this subject, I hope that we can move forward in a peaceful way
," he said.
In April 2021, the National Assembly already debated the subject in a stormy context.
A bill legalizing euthanasia, brought by MP Olivier Falorni (Freedoms and Territories), was approved in principle by 240 elected officials.
But its examination had not been successful when 3,005 amendments had been tabled on the text and the government had been reluctant to legislate on this sensitive subject in the midst of a health crisis.
Since then, the theme of the end of life has been expected as one of the great social debates of the presidential elections.
Among the candidates, Anne Hidalgo (PS), Yannick Jadot (EELV) and Jean-Luc Mélenchon (LFI) have pledged to modify the current law which prohibits euthanasia and assisted suicide.
At the same time, palliative care physicians believe that legalizing euthanasia would “
not just open a right to the few
” but would “
irremediably change the way our whole society looks at death.
"After Emmanuel Macron's conference, the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity (ADMD) immediately reacted on social networks: "
For 20 years, the French have been solicited on the subject of the end of life.
Like them, the deputies are mostly in favor of active assistance in dying.
A new citizens' convention?
Waste of time.
But we are ready for it.
The French are ready
.
An opinion from the CCNE (National Consultative Ethics Committee) is also awaited on this subject.
In 2018, as part of the Estates General of Bioethics, the body concluded that it was not necessary to modify the existing law which allows "
deep and continuous sedation until death
" for incurable patients whose vital prognosis is engaged "
in the short term
".
"
For those who took part in the bioethics general assembly, this citizens' convention says nothing worthwhile,
" commented Tugdual Derville, general delegate of the pro-life association Alliance Vita.
It was a show of participation.
On arrival, the president decided, on political criteria, rather than in favor of the protection of the most fragile
”.
Read alsoErwan Le Morhedec, the lawyer who dreams of another end of life
In 2013, a citizens' conference, made up of a panel of 18 people and set up by the CCNE, had already come out in favor of assisted suicide and an exception of euthanasia.
