French lawmakers revive assisted suicide debate as end-of-life bill returns to parliament

French Health Minister Catherine Vautrin, who authored the original end-of-life bill, will introduce amendments to clarify who would be eligible to access assisted dying. © Ludovic Marin/AFP

French MPs are once again debating assisted suicide, as an end of life bill restarts its legislative process after it was interrupted by President Emmanuel Macron’s dissolution of parliament last year. Lawmakers in committee also adopted a bill on palliative care, which was initially part of the end-of-life legislation.

Lawmakers begin debates on Monday on a bill first proposed in the spring of 2024, but delayed by the dissolution of parliament.