France’s parliament adopts assisted dying law

France has moved a step closer to legalising assisted dying after parliament approved legislation granting eligible adults with incurable illnesses the right to seek medical assistance to end their lives, fulfilling a key social reform pledge by President Emmanuel Macron.

The measure, adopted by the National Assembly, would make France one of a small number of countries to permit assisted dying, pending approval by the Constitutional Council.

Reacting to the vote, Macron said the legislation fulfilled a commitment he made during his 2022 re-election campaign. “In 2022, I made a commitment to open this path with the French people,” Macron wrote on X. “With seriousness, humility, and in full respect of our democracy, that commitment has been honoured.”

Under the proposed law, assisted dying would be available only to adults suffering from an incurable illness who are capable of making a free and informed decision and who experience physical pain that cannot be relieved by treatment or is considered unbearable after choosing to stop or refuse treatment.

Applications would first be assessed by a physician, who would verify whether the patient meets the legal requirements before consulting a review panel. The final decision would rest with the attending doctor, while patients would retain the right to withdraw their request at any stage. The legislation provides that patients must administer the prescribed life-ending substance themselves, except in cases where they are physically incapable, in which case a healthcare worker may assist.

The bill’s passage was welcomed by campaigners who have long advocated changes to France’s end-of-life laws. Jonathan Denis of the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity described the vote as a milestone, while acknowledging that further work remained.

Lawmakers also applauded the bill’s author, Olivier Falorni, who has campaigned for assisted dying legislation for several years. “Many patients passed away before they had access to this right. My thoughts go out to them, to their loved ones, to their families,” Falorni told the lower house.

Although the National Assembly approved the legislation, it had earlier been rejected by the Senate. The government relied on a constitutional provision allowing the lower chamber to have the final say without the upper house’s approval.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has since referred the legislation to the Constitutional Council for constitutional review. His office said the referral followed concerns that the absence of detailed Senate debate meant the final text did not fully address both supporters’ expectations and critics’ concerns over its implementation.

The Constitutional Council will now determine whether the law complies with France’s constitution and may uphold, amend or strike down parts of the legislation. The proposal has faced strong opposition from several conservative politicians, including Senate President Gerard Larcher and former Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau.

Supporters, however, hailed the vote as a landmark moment in France’s social reforms. Brigitte Liso, a lawmaker from Macron’s Renaissance party, said she was proud to support the legislation. “Proud because one day I will be able to say to my grandchildren: ‘I was there’,” she said.

Opponents argued that the measure fundamentally altered the legal protection of human life. Justine Gruet, a lawmaker from the Republicans party, said the vote would be remembered as “the day the French parliament decided that a human life could be legally ended”. “History will judge us,” she added.

Outside parliament, demonstrators also protested against the legislation. Among them was Orthodox Christian cleric Emmanuel Delhoume, who voiced his opposition to the reform. “I can neither condone abortion, nor marriage for everyone, nor euthanasia,” he said. “It’s a diabolical chain” of events.