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France has become the 12th country to legalize assisted dying, after its constitutional council approved a law allowing terminally ill adults to request medical assistance to end their lives. The law, which was passed by the French parliament in March, was challenged by several groups who argued that it contravened France’s constitution. However, in a 14-3 ruling, the constitutional council said the law, which allows patients with incurable conditions to request a lethal injection, was constitutional. The law will come into force at the end of June, after which terminally ill patients will be able to request assisted dying. President Emmanuel Macron had campaigned for the law, saying it was needed to allow people to die with dignity. The law allows adults who are suffering from incurable illnesses and who are expected to die within two years to request a lethal injection. Patients must also be capable of giving their consent and must be experiencing unbearable physical or psychological suffering. The law does not allow euthanasia, which involves actively ending a person’s life, but rather assisted suicide, where a doctor provides a lethal injection at the patient’s request. France’s Catholic Church has criticized the law, saying it “opens the way to euthanasia”. The issue of assisted dying has been debated in France for decades, with successive governments failing to pass legislation. Macron’s government had faced pressure from some MPs and medical associations to legalize assisted dying. The issue gained renewed attention last year after a Frenchman, Alain Cocq, who had been suffering from muscular dystrophy for 20 years, ended his life in Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal. Cocq’s case sparked a national debate on the issue, with many arguing that he should have been allowed to die in France. The law has been welcomed by some patient groups, who say it will allow people to die with dignity. However, others have criticized the law, saying it does not go far enough to help patients who are suffering. The law is expected to affect around 100-200 people in the first year, although some estimates suggest the figure could be higher. The French government has said it will review the law in two years to see if it needs to be amended. The law has been praised by some as a major step forward for patients’ rights. However, others have expressed concerns that it could be open to abuse. The issue of assisted dying is a complex one, and France’s decision to legalize it is likely to have implications for other countries. Several countries, including the UK, are currently debating the issue. The UK’s Royal College of Physicians has recently changed its stance on the issue, saying that it now supports assisted dying. However, the British Medical Association remains opposed to the practice. The debate on assisted dying is likely to continue in the UK and other countries.

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hani.co.kr ·2026-08-15

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