Mayalène Trémolet // Photo credit: SANDRINE MARTY / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP 6:54 a.m., March 16, 2024

In a context of opening the debate on the euthanasia bill, the youth movement of the ADMD, the main pro-euthanasia association in France, has just deleted images, published Friday, which represented the accidental death of four celebrities , such as Claude François, Lady Di or Daniel Balavoine.

Posters removed following the scandal.

A wrecked car on a black background, that of Lady Di.

Then a long flame on a pyre which recalls the execution of Joan of Arc.

A helicopter destroyed in the sand, for the death of Daniel Balavoine, or even an empty bathtub, symbol of the electrocution of Claude François.

“A campaign that makes no sense”

Four posters, all captioned in the same way: “He did not choose his death. In 2024, we should have the choice”.

These morbid scenes were designed for the new illustration campaign of the main French pro-euthanasia association.

But according to lawyer Erwan Lemorhedec, accidents cannot be compared with legislating on the end of life.

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“A campaign that makes no sense. And these are people who had no intention of dying, who did not choose their death. It’s still something that legally poses difficulties for me. There are all the same a principle of respect for private life, even for personalities, there are still limits", he explains.

In less than 24 hours, reactions poured in on social networks. 

Faced with the outcry, the association quickly removed the first poster, and decided not to distribute the others.

She also apologizes on X (formerly Twitter) to those who were shocked by her images.

Contacted, the families of Daniel Balavoine and Claude François did not wish to speak.