Spain became, on Thursday, the fourth European country to legalize euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.

For Lluís Rabell, activist and Spanish politician interviewed by Europe 1, this law shows that "the democratic values" of Spanish society "are more established than we think".

The Spanish parliament finally approved the legalization of euthanasia on Thursday, making Spain one of the few countries in the world allowing a patient with an incurable disease to die to end their suffering.

This law, which is due to enter into force in June, was adopted, thanks in particular to the votes of the left and the center, by a large majority of 202 deputies out of 350, part of the hemicycle rising and applauding at length at the announcement of the count.

More than 140 right-wing and far-right MPs voted against, while 2 abstained.

Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who had made this law a priority, welcomed it, describing Spain in a tweet as "a more humane, fairer and freer country".

"Thanks to all the people who fought tirelessly for the right to die with dignity to be recognized in Spain", this law "is finally becoming a reality", he added.

Hoy somos un país más humano, más justo y más libre.

The ley de eutanasia, ampliamente demandada por la sociedad, is invited for the end in una realidad.

Gracias a todas las personas que han peleado incansablemente para que el derecho a morir dignamente fuera reconocido en España.

pic.twitter.com/Ge4CZWuvIe

- Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) March 18, 2021

A law "which proves that Spanish society is evolving"

"It is good news that a law which allows people to put an end with dignity to unnecessary suffering is adopted", reacts Lluís Rabell, activist and Catalan deputy, at the microphone of Europe 1. "It is a step forward democracy and civilization which proves that Spanish society is evolving, that it is a society in which democratic values ​​are more established than one thinks. " 

This law authorizes both euthanasia - when the caregiver causes the death of the patient - and medically assisted suicide - when the patient himself takes the prescribed dose of product to kill himself.

Concretely, it provides that any person having "a serious and incurable disease" or pain "chronic placing him in a situation of incapacity" can request the assistance of the medical profession to die and thus avoid "an intolerable suffering".

However, strict conditions frame the process: the person, Spanish or resident in the country, must therefore be "capable and aware" when making the request, which must be formulated in writing "without external pressure" and renewed fifteen days later. .

The doctor will always be able to reject this request if he considers that these criteria are not met or to assert "his conscientious objection".

In addition, it must be approved by another doctor and receive the green light from an evaluation committee.

Winds up against this reform, the Spanish Catholic Church compared euthanasia to "a form of homicide" while the far-right party Vox announced that it would file an appeal before the Constitutional Court.

Fourth European country, after the Benelux

With this law, Spain thus becomes the fourth European country to decriminalize euthanasia, after the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

In the Netherlands, since 2002, the administration of a drug causing death is authorized when the patient requests it in full possession of his means and suffers "unbearable and interminable" suffering due to a disease diagnosed as incurable.

The advice of a second doctor is necessary.

The Netherlands was also the first to allow strict conditions for euthanasia for minors 12 years of age and over, and announced last October that it planned to legalize euthanasia for sick children in the process. from one to 12 years old.

Belgium also decriminalized euthanasia in 2002 under conditions strictly defined by law.

The patient can express his wishes in an "advance declaration" valid for five years or make the express request if he is able to express himself.

In February 2014, the country was the first to authorize euthanasia without age limit for children "capable of discernment" suffering from an incurable disease.

As for Luxembourg, euthanasia has been authorized there since March 2009 under certain conditions for convicted adult patients.