Spain legalizes euthanasia
Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands have already legalized euthanasia.
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The Spanish Parliament has definitively approved the legalization of euthanasia, making the country one of the few in the world to allow a patient with an incurable disease to die to end their suffering.
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Spain becomes on March 18 the fourth country to authorize active euthanasia for people suffering from serious and incurable diseases.
The text also provides for medically assisted suicide when the patient himself takes the prescribed dose.
Until then, only Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands had decriminalized assisted death for sick people.
This law, which will come into force in June 2021, was a priority for the government of socialist Pedro Sánchez.
It was adopted by the lower house of Parliament, thanks in particular to the votes of the left and the center, by a very large majority of 202 deputies out of 350.
Strict conditions obviously frame the process: the person, Spanish or resident in the country, must be "
capable and aware
" when making the request, which must be formulated in writing "
without external pressure
" and renewed fifteen days later.
The doctor can reject this request if he considers that the criteria are not met.
In addition, this request must be approved by another doctor and receive the green light from an evaluation committee.
This procedure therefore becomes, thanks to its legalization, covered by the public health system.
The Spaniards rather in favor of the right to die with dignity
The Minister of Health Carolina Darias did not hide her emotion, she who has long campaigned in favor of a law that formalizes and regulates euthanasia.
This law, she said, does honor to a society that cares about the weakest and those who suffer in the utmost silence.
This proposal not only received the approval of the great majority of deputies, but also of the Spaniards.
In a poll carried out last year by the Metroscopia Institute
, 87% were in favor, underlines
François Musseau
, the correspondent of RFI in Madrid.
This is the case for example of Maria Carmen, nurse: “
This is something that I have been waiting for for many years.
After seeing people die in terrible conditions.
It is something very necessary
”.
Manuel, retired, is also delighted with the promulgation of this law: “
I do not believe that we should force people to die in pain.
When someone no longer wants to live, there is no reason to oppose this choice, life is the only thing that belongs to everyone
”.
Besides the conservatives of the Popular Party, the ultra right of Vox is opposed to it.
She speaks of ignominy.
And she is preparing to file an appeal with the constitutional court.
For the Catholic Church, this reform allows a form of homicide rather than "defending life", in which the State "
becomes responsible for the death inflicted
", denounced the Spanish Episcopal Conference.
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