Mr. Véran was accompanied by the Minister Delegate for the Health Professions Agnès Firmin le Bodo, and members of the parliamentary working group on the end of life, to meet the nursing staff of the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG).

Asked about the possibility of authorizing assisted suicide in France, Mr. Véran affirmed that "all the options are on the table".

He underlined the importance of the work of the citizens' convention on the end of life, which is currently looking into the question of a possible change in French law.

Even if the terms "euthanasia" or "assisted suicide" are not explicitly mentioned, participants will consider whether to legalize one or the other.

In March, they will say whether or not to change the current law, without guarantee of being followed.

“These citizens who come together and who must allow us to have a peaceful debate are pioneers,” said Mr. Véran.

"We are not making it a political fight in the political sense of the term. We are not making it a partisan fight," he added.

Mr. Véran had already traveled to Belgium to study the legislation in this country, and subsequent trips are under consideration, particularly to Spain.

"We do not consider that there is a country that is ahead or behind another, because here we are touching the heart of the intimate, death. It's very personal and it can refer to a lot of conviction, a lot of fears, a lot of fear", he however underlined.

Current French law provides for "deep sedation" for terminally ill patients with intractable suffering, but does not authorize euthanasia or assisted suicide.

In Switzerland, only those who, "driven by a selfish motive", lend assistance to someone's suicide are punishable.

(lr) Socialist MP Laurent Panifous, Minister Delegate for Health Professions Agnès Firmin le Bodo and French government spokesperson Olivier Véran during a debate on the end of life at the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG), the January 27, 2023 in Switzerland © Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

"It's a way of making the law which is very different from what we know in France where we start from the principle that everything is prohibited, except what is authorized", commented Mr. Véran.

Present during the visit to the HUG, the President of the Council of State of the Canton of Geneva, Mauro Poggia, stressed to him that the fact of wanting to settle by law issues "which are settled through dialogue, understanding, empathy, listening" could "lead to a blockage and disempowerment of all the actors".

© 2023 AFP