The course is set. But the paths to reach it remain to be traced. The citizens’ convention on the end of life came out on Sunday, February 19, in favor of a ” opening “ to one “active assistance in dying”. In other words, for possible medical assistance to shorten the existence of patients who request it. On the modalities and on the profile of the people who would have access to this right, the disagreements remain.
The weekend of February 17 to 19 marked “a turning point”, insists Claire Thoury, president of the governance committee of the citizens’ convention. Wanted by Emmanuel Macron, it has brought together since December 9, 2022 180 citizens drawn by lot. On March 19, they must answer the question posed by the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne: “Is the end-of-life support framework adapted to the different situations encountered or should any changes be introduced? »
On Sunday, 167 members of the convention took part in the votes in the hemicycle of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE). By secret ballot, they answered eleven questions. The overwhelming majority (84%) immediately felt that “the end-of-life support framework does not respond to all the situations encountered”. In the process, 75% voted for the opening of a “active assistance in dying”, i.e. 125 voters; 32 voted against, 10 abstained.
flaws and doubts
By a large majority, voters indicated that the“access to active assistance in dying” should be subject to ” terms “, whether it is assisted suicide (72%) or euthanasia (75%). Without these ” terms “ be clarified at this stage.
It was then that the votes showed flaws and doubts. 72% of voters (121 citizens) voted for openness to assisted suicide. But only 66% said they wanted to allow euthanasia. Even if the difference is small, it reflects a fear that euthanasia could be performed at the request of a patient whose wish to die would be ambivalent. Assisted suicide, by forcing a person to perform the lethal act themselves, would leave, according to its supporters, no room for doubt about the person’s desire to end their life.
Regarding the limits, 45% of those questioned believe that assisted suicide should be open to incurable patients but without “vital prognosis necessarily involved”. They are 40% to be of this opinion concerning euthanasia. Barely a quarter of the participants want the“active assistance in dying” is only possible for people at the end of life. However, a very large third of voters abstained on this question.
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