Veneto Region Postpones Assisted Suicide Law Debate to September

The Regional Council of Veneto has delayed discussion of the popular‑initiative law on medically assisted suicide, titled “Liberi Subito,” until September. The proposal, promoted by the Coscioni Association, was first rejected by a single vote in January 2024 and re‑submitted in May, re‑entering the regional agenda. While Veneto was the first Italian region to bring such a measure to a vote, similar initiatives have progressed in Emilia‑Romagna, which approved it in July 2026, and Tuscany in 2025, with debates also ongoing in Lazio, Lombardy, Marche and the autonomous province of Trento.

At the national level, the Senate on 3 June adopted a suspensive motion (88‑59) that sent the assisted‑suicide draft back to the Justice and Social Affairs committees, effectively halting its parliamentary advance. Senator Alfredo Bazoli (PD) described the move as an attempt to “bury the provision.” The ruling coalition, however, argues the aim is to craft a law that respects Constitutional Court rulings, with Committee President Francesco Zaffini (FdI) pledging to produce a “good law.” The Constitutional Court continues to examine related issues, including the legality of Article 580 of the Penal Code concerning life‑support treatment as a prerequisite for assisted death.