France's National Assembly overwhelming adopted legislation November 30 legalizing passive euthanasia

Christian Century, Dec 28, 2004

France's National Assembly overwhelming adopted legislation November 30 legalizing passive euthanasia. But the bill does not approach the more expansive right-to-die laws elsewhere in Europe. With 548 out of 551 lawmakers voting in favor of a broader patient-rights bill, which permits withholding life-sustaining care, political support for the law crossed party lines, though lawmakers voted for it for sharply different reasons.

Three lawmakers abstained from voting. Lawmakers opposed to euthanasia said they hope the legislation will set the boundaries of what is legally permissible in medicine. But other politicians and right-to-die associations hope the legislation marks the first step toward more far-reaching reforms, including legalizing active euthanasia, sometimes called "mercy killing."