Euthanasia: Change of Method at the Elysée

Is it a change of direction, or variation on the same theme? This is probably the second hypothesis to see the light of day regarding a bill on the end of life which is struggling to hatch, as the executive senses that he is walking on eggshells at the start of 2024.

This is especially true since a majority of caregivers are opposed to the method unveiled before Christmas by former Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. By inserting the topic of euthanasia into the broader issue of palliative care and support in illness, the executive intended to present a much more comprehensive project, likely to be voted on by the Assembly and accepted by public opinion.

But the painful birth of the immigration law combined with the alarm signals from caregivers convinced the Head of State to change tactics: “Putting palliative care, on which there is consensus, in the same text with assistance in dying, which is always controversial, risks not making advancing the development of palliative care,” affirmed Claire Fourcade.

On January 8, the president of the French Society for Support and Palliative Care (Sfap) called for a clear separation of the two parts of the project.

A warning relayed in September 2023 by the letter to the executive signed by twelve deputies: “Combining questions that are essentially different in the same text would be an error and would collectively deprive us of the freedom of expression given to us by the Constitution.”

While Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, former Minister of Health, announced with confidence a month ago that “the bill on the French end-of-life model (would) be presented in February (2024).” The Elysée representatives are now cautious, as confirmed by one of the religious leaders present at Emmanuel Macron's New Year address ceremony on January 8: “he did not specify dates but rather spoke of method,” he explained.

During an exchange lasting more than an hour – including forty minutes of his speech – the Head of State announced to the leaders of the main religions present on French soil his decision to present two separate bills on the end of life theme, one focused on palliative care, the other on euthanasia, modestly renamed “assisted dying.”

“How can we approach the desire to die?” asked Emmanuel Macron in front of the religious dignitaries. A question with a finely honed turn of phrase which alone sums up the change in tactics by the president, who promises a new exchange with those religious leaders before the presentation of the text on the euthanasia.

To end on a positive note, the President of the Republic spoke of the reopening of Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, which will be “returned to worship, to the culture and image of France.” It would have been good for him to remember that the era of the cathedrals was not a time when the right to life was shamelessly trampled on.”