France's National Assembly has approved a bill establishing a right to assisted dying for adults facing a serious and incurable illness, provided they are in advanced or terminal stages and experiencing unbearable, untreatable suffering. The vote by MPs, 291 to 241, marks a significant step after the bill was previously rejected by the Senate multiple times.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is expected to submit parts of the bill to France's Constitutional Council for review before it can be enacted into law. Under the proposed legislation, patients must freely express their intention to a doctor, who will then have 15 days to make a decision after consultation. Following a two-day period of reflection, the patient would be required to self-administer a lethal substance. If the patient is unable to do so, a doctor or nurse could administer it. The physician must verify the patient's decision on the day of the procedure.
This development places France alongside several other European nations that have decriminalized assisted dying. The Netherlands and Belgium legalized assisted dying in 2002, allowing physicians to administer it to individuals with unbearable suffering from incurable conditions. Switzerland has long permitted assisted suicide under specific circumstances where the assisting party acts altruistically. The United Kingdom is also engaged in a similar debate, with a bill to legalize assisted dying in England and Wales scheduled for parliamentary return in September.
A protest against the draft law, organized by the "pro-life" group Alliance Vita, took place in Paris in June 2026. Protesters held signs expressing opposition to euthanasia and assisted suicide.