The citizens’ convention on the end of life delivered its first results on Sunday 19 February. The 180 citizens drawn by lot voted mainly in favor of “active assistance in dying”, and therefore in favor of a change in the law concerning the end of life in France. They are meeting, until the end of March, at the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (Cese), in Paris.
Some 70% of citizens are in favor of assisted suicide, and 60% in favor of euthanasia: whatever the modalities, the citizens’ convention is broadly in favor of changing the law for “active assistance in dying”. These results come after three months of debate and will lead, at the end of March, to proposals submitted to the government.
Claire Thoury, who leads this convention, hopes that it will take this into account: ” What I expect above all is that they come and respond to citizens. May the citizens who have given 27 days of their lives to work on this important subject hear answers from those who have asked them. Given the general state of trust in institutions and political representatives, organizing an exercise like this and not taking it into account would still be very surprising. »
President Emmanuel Macron plans to change the Claers-Leonetti law of 2016. This authorizes deep and continuous sedation for patients until death, without making it possible to directly cause death or to give patients the means to do so.
There are still three weekends of debate left at the convention to address other subjects than active assistance in dying, such as home support or financial means dedicated to the end of life.