France advances right‑to‑die legislation amid Senate‑government clash

France is close to adopting a new "right to die" law after extensive parliamentary debate. The Senate, led by President Gérard Larcher, has repeatedly rejected the proposal, while the government plans to grant the final decision to the National Assembly on 15 July. Larcher warned that, should the text be passed, "I will refer it to the Constitutional Council," without specifying the legal grounds.

The draft law defines the right to die as a request by a competent adult to receive a lethal substance, with medical intervention permitted only when the patient cannot physically self‑administer. Eligibility requires a serious, incurable illness, advanced prognosis, unbearable suffering, and preserved discernment. The law excludes purely psychological suffering, old age, isolated disability, certain forms of dementia, minors and non‑resident stable persons. It mirrors frameworks in Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain and Portugal, while differing from Swiss practices.

Support for the measure comes mainly from left‑wing parties, whereas Les Républicains, the National Rally and some centrist factions remain opposed. Healthcare professionals, palliative‑care societies, religious groups and certain parliamentary members also voice concerns about potential abuses. The legislation marks a shift from France’s earlier Leonetti and Claeys‑Leonetti laws on end‑of‑life care toward a more regulated assisted‑death regime.