On July 15 (local time), according to AFP, the French House of Representatives is expected to hold the final vote on the death penalty bill - one of the most controversial social reforms under President Emmanuel Macron.
If approved, France will take another important step on its path to joining the group of countries that allow patients to receive life-end support in special cases.
The bill is considered the result of a multi-year legislative journey. Mr. Olivier Falorni - the author of the bill, and also a former MP and current mayor of La Rochelle city - said that this vote is "the end of 14 years of struggle in Parliament" to bring the death penalty into the legal system.
Although passed by the House of Representatives with a majority of votes, the bill was rejected by the Senate. However, according to the provisions of the French Constitution, the Government decided to grant the House of Representatives the power to make the final decision without the consent of the Senate.
Even if passed, the bill cannot take effect immediately. French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has asked the Constitutional Council - France's highest constitutional supervisory body - to consider the constitutionality of the entire document.
According to the bill, the right to be exterminated only applies to adults with incurable diseases, who are able to make their own decisions voluntarily and transparently, and must endure uncontrollable or unacceptable physical pain even after treatment.
The doctor will be the one to assess the patient's condition before the professional council reviews the file. The final decision belongs to the treating doctor, while the patient has the right to withdraw the request at any time.
In most cases, patients will self-use the lethal drug. Only when they are no longer able to perform it are medical staff allowed to assist.
Supporters argue that the bill creates a balance between patient autonomy and strict medical control measures.
Former Minister of Health Agnès Firmin Le Bodo said this is a "balanced" document and meets humanitarian requirements in postpartum care.
However, the opposition is still determined to refute. MP Christophe Bentz of the National Rally (RN) warned that the bill is "very dangerous" and could lead to abuse.
Religious organizations and many groups opposing abortion and suicide are also expected to hold protests near the Parliament building on the day of the vote.
If the law is enacted, France will join a group of countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada - countries that have legalized the form of amputation within the framework of law.
