Italy's End‑of‑Life Legislation Stalled Amid Coalition Dispute

Italy’s Senate is dead‑locked over a law to legalise assisted suicide. The centre‑right coalition, led by Forza Italia and supported by the Lega and the governing Fratelli d’Italia (FdI), seeks to reopen the draft and introduce amendments that would allow private doctors to intervene for a fee, effectively removing the service from the national health system.

The centre‑left Democratic Party (PD) and its allies, including the Five Star Movement, oppose any move that would privatise the procedure and insist the law must guarantee free, public access under the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale. They warn the delays risk contravening a Constitutional Court ruling that has urged Parliament to act on the issue for years. The dispute reflects broader tensions within the governing majority over how to balance “conscience‑free” provisions with state‑provided end‑of‑life care.