The government always plans to split the end of life bill in two, but the two texts will be tabled by the deputies themselves then will be the subject of a vote at the end of May, announced Wednesday, February 26, the government.
“These are two different texts that will be two law proposals, one on palliative care and another on aid (to) die […] : they will be the subject of one vote the same day, one after the other, “said Patrick Mignola, Minister of Relations with Parliament on Public Senate. This vote will take place at the end of May after two weeks of examination Who will start on May 12, the Minister’s entourage told AFP.
The Prime Minister, François Bayrou, had announced at the beginning of the year his intention to split this text on the end of life in two, which could legalize subject to “active aid to die”, in fact a form of assisted suicide. His vote was postponed on multiple times, in particular by the dissolution of 2024.
The choice of François Bayrou is rather defended by opponents of a legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide, who want to separate this subject from that of palliative care. Supporters of an assisted form of suicide, whose spearhead in the Assembly is the deputy Olivier Falorni, however regretted this decision, seeing the risk of burying the part devoted to help to die.
Divisions in government
This choice was also strongly criticized by the president of the Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, and does not consensus within the government since the Minister of Health, Catherine Vautrin, said preferred a single text.
The government had already announced a compromise in mid-February, promising a “joint discussion” in the assembly on both parties. The words of Patrick Mignola, this Wednesday, go even further: by promising two law proposals, which come by definition from the deputies and not from the government, it leaves a greater room for maneuver in Parliament.
A parliamentary source told AFP, confirming information from Franceinfo, that it would be Olivier Falorni who would deposit the part devoted to help to die and Frédéric Valletoux, former Minister of Health, that on palliative care. She added that the government had committed to then send the two texts directly to the Senate.