The Citizens’ Convention on the end of life, launched in December 2022, delivered its deliberations at the beginning of April 2023. The 150 citizens drawn by lot voted in favor of opening up active assistance in dying.
[Mis à jour le 3 avril 2023 à 17h16] THE deliberations of the Citizens’ convention on the end of life were shared on April 2. The 184 citizens concluded that the end-of-life support framework must be improved. They also positioned in favor of opening up active assistance in dying. On April 3, Emmanuel Macron replied to the Convention to be in favor of the establishment ofa law project “by the end of summer“. The President also announced “necessary investments” to feed aten year plan“ on palliative care, deemed insufficient by the Citizens’ Convention which started on December 9, 2022 in Paris. Citizens drawn by lot to participate gathered to debate around the interest of changing or not the existing law (Claeys-Leonetti) which prohibits euthanasia and assisted suicide in France. To do this, they had to answer the following question:Is the end-of-life support framework adapted to the different situations encountered or should any changes be introduced??”. 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. There 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. She brings together 150 citizens debating whether or not to change the existing law (Claeys-Leonetti of 2016) which prohibits euthanasia and assisted suicide in France. The purpose of this Convention was to answer the question: “Is the end-of-life support framework adapted to the different situations encountered or should any changes be introduced?”
What are the results of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life?
The deliberations of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life were shared on April 2, 2023.
► The 184 citizens concluded that the end-of-life support framework must be improved.
► They positioned themselves in favor of opening up active assistance in dying.
► The majority agreed on the need for a path to active assistance in dying, including access conditions, safeguards and control mechanisms.
► The Convention positions itself mainly for access under conditions, the first of which is the will of the patient. Then, the priority criteria are: discernment, incurability, vital prognosis, suffering (refractory, physical, psychological) and age.
Where can I find the report of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life?
THE report of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life is available online on the CESE website.
What is the date of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life?
The Citizens’ Convention on the end of life has begun Friday, December 9, 2022 and closed on March 19, 2023 for a total of 9 weekends of work.
► 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
► Deliberations rendered on April 2, 2023.
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 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 are the members of 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