French President Emmanuel Macron wants to start a broad debate on the sensitive topic of euthanasia, according to an announcement from the Elysée, which said a citizens' platform would start considering the issue in October.
At the same time, the government also wants to discuss euthanasia with members of France's parliamentary chambers.
The results of the dialogue should be available in March 2023. Any changes to the law would then be made before the end of next year.
In France, active euthanasia, or the administration of a lethal substance to someone, is prohibited. Passive euthanasia by turning off machines and indirect euthanasia, in which strong medication relieves pain and has the side effect of accelerating death, are allowed.
The French Council of Ethics has written that the ethical application of active euthanasia is conceivable under certain strict conditions. For example, only terminally ill adults with physical or mental suffering that cannot be alleviated and whose illness is terminal in the medium term would be eligible.
The issue is quite controversial in France. On several occasions, cases of seriously ill people wishing to die or whose deaths were the subject of years of wrangling have sparked heated debate in society.
