France’s lower house of parliament has passed a draft law that would allow adults with incurable illness to end their lives with medical help under strict conditions.
The National Assembly voted 305 in favour and 199 against the bill late on Tuesday. It is the start of a long legislative process that could eventually make France one of the few European countries to allow assisted dying.
President Emmanuel Macron called the vote “an important moment”. Writing on X, he said the result showed that “a path is gradually beginning to open – one that respects dignity, humanity and different beliefs”.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where changes are expected.
Health Minister Catherine Vautrin said she hopes senators will begin debating the proposal later this year and return it to the lower house in early 2026.
“I want this bill to get a final vote by 2027, which is still possible,” she said.
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How the law would work
Patients would have to be French or live in France, be over 18, and have a grave and incurable illness at an advanced or terminal stage. They must be suffering pain that cannot be eased and which affects their quality of life.
A medical team would confirm that the person is making the request freely and is mentally capable of doing so. People with severe psychiatric conditions or illnesses such as Alzheimer’s would not qualify.
Once approved, patients would be prescribed a lethal substance. They could take it themselves or, if physically unable, have it administered by a doctor or nurse.
The bill, brought by Macron ally Olivier Falorni, would allow medical staff to help “a person gain access to a lethal substance when they have expressed such a wish”. It avoids the term “euthanasia”, using instead “aid in dying” or “assisted suicide”.
Vautrin said the French model would be “strict and closely supervised”.
A separate bill aimed at improving access to palliative care was also passed on Tuesday without opposition. It is designed to expand pain relief options and support for people nearing the end of life.
France already allows passive euthanasia – such as ending treatment or using deep sedation for terminally ill patients – but active euthanasia and assisted suicide remain illegal.
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Ethical concerns
The issue remains divisive in a country with strong Catholic roots and mixed political views.
Prime Minister François Bayrou, a practising Catholic, said he would have abstained if he were an MP. “I have questions,” he said.
A joint statement from the Conference of Religious Leaders in France warned the bill could create pressure on older people or those with disabilities.
The group – which includes Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist communities – said the law risked causing an “anthropological rupture”.
Some in the medical profession have also voiced concern, while others say the law does not go far enough.
Dominique Pelletier, 83, from Roubaix, has terminal cancer. She told FranceInfo she has already begun the process of seeking euthanasia in Belgium, where it is legal.
“Do you think the patient will want to press the syringe?” she said. “That’s not help to die.”
Pelletier said she has seen her husband, daughter and sister suffer, and does not want the same for herself. “I’m not going to wait for that,” she said.
She is now working with Belgian doctors and a support group. “The day I can no longer manage on my own, I’ll know it’s time.”
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Public backing
A 2023 report found that most French citizens support legal end-of-life options in cases of extreme suffering. Polls show that support has grown steadily over the past 20 years.
Speaking in the Assembly on Tuesday, Falorni said, “I’m thinking of all the patients and their loved ones that I’ve met over more than a decade. Many are no longer here, and they always told me: Keep fighting”.
Jonathan Denis, president of the Association for the Right to Die With Dignity, told the Associated Press: “I cannot accept that French men and women have to go to Switzerland – if they can afford it – or to Belgium to be supported in their choice.”
If eventually passed, the law would bring France in line with countries such as Spain, Austria and Switzerland, where assisted dying is legal under strict conditions.
Macron has said he could call a referendum if parliament fails to reach agreement.
(with newswires)
