A Citizens’ Convention on the end of life started on Friday, December 9, 2022 in Paris. The 150 citizens drawn by lot will debate around the existing law which prohibits euthanasia and assisted suicide in France. Their conclusions are expected in March 2023.
A citizens’ convention on the end of life was announced on September 13, 2022 by the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron. Citizens drawn by lot to participate meet for the first time in Paris, from December 9 to 11, 2022. This first meeting is part of the first “phase of appropriation and meetings”. They will discuss about the interest of changing or not the existing law (Claeys-Leonetti) which prohibits euthanasia and assisted suicide in France. To do this, they will have to answer the following question:Is the end-of-life support framework adapted to the different situations encountered or should any changes be introduced??”. The deliberations will be made in March 2023. Understand everything about the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life.
What is the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life?
The Citizens’ Convention is a deliberative process. It allows citizens drawn by lot to meet, debate, then make recommendations to the authorities. The panel of citizens that constitutes the Convention is generally selected from among people representative of the population of the community. The Citizens’ Convention on the end of life was announced by Emmanuel Macron on September 13, 2022. “The subject of the end of life requires the opening of a national debate, a dialogue between citizens from diverse backgrounds, representative of the different sensitivities that are expressed within French society, as close as possible to the complexity of interests and opinions. The citizens’ convention tool is ideal for conducting this debate.” explain it EESC (Economic, Social and Environmental Council) which steers it. It brings together 150 citizens who will debate about the interest of changing or not the existing law (Claeys-Leonetti) which prohibits euthanasia and assisted suicide in France.
What is the date of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life?
The Citizens’ Convention on the end of life begins Friday December 9, 2022 and will last until March 19, 2023 for a total of 9 weekends of work. the program for the first weekend (December 9-11) is online on the EESC.
► Appropriation and meeting phase December 9-18, 2022
► Deliberation phase January 6 – February 19, 2023
► Phase of harmonization and restitution of the results of the work March 3-19, 2023
Where does the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life take place?
The Citizens’ Convention on the end of life takes place in Paris.
What is the objective of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life?
The objective of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life is to debate around the interest of changing the existing laws which do not allow the delivery of active assistance in dying in France today. The 2016 Claeys-Leonetti law (latest in force) prohibits euthanasia and assisted suicide. They must “consolidate the democratic process by enlightening the legislator in the event of an evolution of the framework of the end of life in France“by answering the following question posed by Elisabeth Borne: “Is the end-of-life support framework adapted to the different situations encountered or should any changes be introduced?”. The Convention will allow “everyone to express their opinions, in order to arrive at common proposals”
Who organizes the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life?
The management of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life was entrusted to the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE). This governance committee is responsible for ensuring the methodological monitoring of the system and ensuring the principles of transparency and neutrality. It will meet weekly until the end of March. It is chaired by Claire Thoury, member of CESE, and includes:
- 5 EESC members
- 2 members of the National Consultative Ethics Committee
- Cynthia Fleury, philosopher specializing in health ethics
- Hélène Landemore, Professor of Political Science at Yale University
- Andrine Rui, teacher – researcher
- Giovanna Marsico, Director of the National Center for Palliative and End-of-Life Care (CNSPFV)
- 2 citizens who participated in the Citizen’s Climate Convention.
“The governance committee of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life, guarantor of peaceful debates, will be particularly attentive to the way in which the public authorities take up this work“ said Claire Thoury.
Who participates in the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life?
150 French citizens drawn by lot take part in the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life. Harris Interactive, a research and survey institute, was commissioned to draw lots from randomly generated telephone numbers (85% mobile and 15% landline) and to make telephone calls in order to to identify volunteer citizens. To ensure a panel representing the diversity of French societythe Governance Committee has decided to retain 6 recruitment criteria:
- sex
- age
- Urban area typologies (large urban centres, inner suburbs, rural municipalities, etc.)
- The region of origin (depending on the demographic weight of each French region)
- Degree level (6 categories have been defined)
- The socio-professional category (workers, employees, executives, etc.)
“This diversity of profiles and stories is essential to the democratic debate that is opening up, it is what will allow the richness of the deliberations and that each point of view is heard“defended Claire Thoury.
Source :
– Cese citizens’ agreement on the end of life
– The ESEC lays down the framework of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life, CESE
– The ESEC launches the draw for the 150 citizens of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life, CESE
– Launch of a citizen consultation on the end of life, September 14, 2022, Government