The debate on France's end of life bill begins in the French parliament this Monday with the aim of opening up the possibility of assisted dying for certain patients. But changes introduced by a parliamentary committee have the executive fearing a 'loss of balance' in the proposed text.
To allow adequate time for the debates – which will combine medical technicalities with legal and personal issues – the National Assembly has scheduled two weeks of discussions for the first reading of the bill.
Health Minister Catherine Vautrin will open the arguments at 4pm on Monday, with a final vote on the legislation scheduled for 11 June.
The debate promises to be heated over eligibility criteria, one of which has been amended in committee.
The original text required people to be suffering from a "serious and incurable condition with a short or medium-term life-threatening prognosis," to be of full age, be able to express their wishes freely and in an informed manner, and to be suffering from an illness that is untreatable or unbearable.
'Loophole' fears
However, the deputies in the special committee deleted the reference to "short- or medium-term life-threatening condition," preferring the notion of an "advanced or terminal phase" of illness.
This change was approved by the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity and general rapporteur Olivier Falorni from the centrist MoDem party, who felt that the notion of medium-term "risked leaving out a certain number of patients".
The French government, however, sees this as a loophole that could "lead to the inclusion of many non-fatal pathologies that fall outside the philosophy of the text" – a warning voiced by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal in La Tribune newspaper on Sunday.
Debate 'transcends' political divide
Further proof that the issue of assisted dying transcends traditional divisions, some MPs from the left, MoDem and Renaissance have tabled amendments to abolish aid in dying, as have some Republicans and far-right National Rally members.
However, most of the support for the legislation is expected to come from the left and the presidential camp.
The debates will also have to clarify the issue of advance directives.
Within the parliamentary committee, MEPs agreed that patients should be able to specify in their advance the type of assistance in dying in the event of "irreversible loss of consciousness".
However, the text states elsewhere that the patient must be "capable of expressing his or her wishes in a free and informed manner".
In response to the confusion caused, the Health Minister assured that "the patient [will] always have to confirm his or her free and informed wishes at every stage of the procedure".
Religious concerns
The issue of who administers the lethal substance also raises questions.
The text has provided for patients to administer it themselves, except for those unable to do so.
But another amendment to the bill has opened up the possibility of freely choosing to delegate this act to a third party.
Most religious groups have expressed deep concern about these changes to the text, agreeing with the Catholic Church that the "locks have been broken".
A group of healthcare organisations said that "Pandora's box has been opened".
Another major aspect of the text concerns palliative care, which all parties are calling to be strengthened.
As the government has ruled out any fast-track procedure, an agreement on the final text could take until the summer of 2025 – or even longer.
