The text on the end of life returns to the National Assembly

The dissolution of the National Assembly last June did not only end the mandates of the deputies. The legislative process of all the bills was also interrupted, including the one on the end of life. However, its former general rapporteur has just put it back on the table. Deputy Olivier Falorni (MoDem) submitted, shortly after his re-election in July, a new copy of the text on the end of life which includes the one amended and voted on by the deputies of the special committee on May 18, as well as all the amendments adopted in session.

This text authorizes access to assisted dying for French adults or adults residing in France and suffering from a “serious and incurable condition” involving “extreme physical or psychological suffering”. It sets a condition: “being able to express one’s wishes freely and in an informed manner”. It is up to the patient, a person designated by them or a health professional to administer the lethal substance. This version of the end-of-life law provides that health professionals have the right to assert a conscience clause “in order not to participate in the implementation of these measures”.

His bill was deemed admissible by the National Assembly on Monday, September 23, and one hundred and sixty-six deputies have already signed it. Coming from nine groups, these supporters include several heavyweights in the chamber such as the President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet, the President of the Socialist group Boris Vallaud, the President of the Insoumis group Mathilde Panot, her counterpart from the Green group Cyrille Chatelain and the former Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne. A diversity immediately welcomed on the social network X by Olivier Falorni who praised “a true and broad cross-party gathering determined to carry a great law of progress and humanity”. However, the text is far from unanimous within the government. Like the Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau and the Minister of Labor Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, several ministers have already expressed their opposition to such a measure.

The review schedule has not yet been set, but it is up to Geneviève Darrieussecq (MoDem), the new Minister of Health and Access to Care, to take charge of this matter.

On the BFMTV set, the President of the National Assembly announced this Tuesday that she wanted the deputies to consider this bill soon. “This is a text that is awaited by the French and so I hope that it will be re-examined in the National Assembly before the end of the year,” she declared. “We are ready, the text is ready and so we have to go for it.” It remains to be seen what the position of the new Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, will be on this subject which should give rise to many debates in the chamber.