Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez
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December 17, 2020The Spanish Chamber has approved a law that will allow assisted suicide and euthanasia for patients suffering from incurable diseases or permanent conditions deemed unbearable.
The bill, presented by the Socialist Party, obtained 198 votes in favor and 138 against, 2 abstentions.
The parliamentary groups of Ciudadanos, Junts for Catalunya and Cup joined the majority in the favorable vote. They voted against PP, Vox and Unión del Pueblo Navarro.
With Senate approval, the law is expected to go into effect in early 2021.
A few dozen people, wearing the Salvador Dali mask worn by the protagonists of the "House of Paper", protested outside Parliament.
Groups of supporters of the law instead celebrated in the streets of Madrid.
"As a society, we cannot remain impassive in the face of the intolerable pain suffered by many people," Health Minister Salvador Illa told parliamentarians.
The law will allow doctors, both in public health and in private facilities, to assist patients who wish to die from "a serious and incurable disease" or a "debilitating and chronic condition" that the person concerned considers "unbearable".
The patient must confirm the desire to die four times in a month: twice in writing two weeks apart, a third time after an interview with a doctor and a fourth time immediately before receiving the lethal drug, which will be administered by a physician assisted by an external supervisor.
Requests must be approved by a regional supervisory board and may only be submitted by adults resident in Spain who are capable of understanding and willing.
Doctors will be allowed conscientious objection.
Spain thus follows in the footsteps of Portugal, whose parliament passed a similar law last February that has not yet entered into force and could still be blocked by the president.
Euthanasia - the administration of a lethal drug by a doctor - is so far only legal in Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
In some US states assisted suicide is allowed, meaning that the patient who wishes to die can take the lethal drug alone under medical supervision.