French Parliament's Mixed Commission Faces deadlock on assisted‑dying bill as palliative‑care law passes

A mixed parliamentary commission of seven deputies and seven senators met on 2 June to try to forge a compromise on the proposed "right to assisted dying" law. The bill has been adopted twice by the National Assembly but rejected twice by the Senate, and observers expect the commission to fail, leaving the final decision to the Assembly under article 45 of the Constitution.

If the commission cannot reach agreement, the government may allow the Assembly to adopt the text again, after which the Senate would vote a final time. The government aims to complete the process before the summer recess.

Separately, the Senate passed a comprehensive palliative‑care law on 11 May (325‑18), which President Emmanuel Macron promulgated on 27 May. The law introduces personalized care plans, mandates the creation of "houses of accompaniment" for end‑of‑life support, requires all EHPADs to include a palliative‑care component in their projects, and obliges each department to have at least one palliative‑care unit, including pediatric services. The executive also plans to amend the draft to remove newly introduced penal provisions on obstruction and incitement related to assisted dying.