French lawmakers define conditions for assisted dying in end-of-life bill
Eligibility criteria and how patients will need to make a request detailed
A request must be made to a doctor in person
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French MPs have approved the conditions required for a patient to be eligible for assisted dying, as the debate continues on the subject.
An amendment was passed on Tuesday, May 20, by 164 votes to 103, with opposition coming mainly from the right and far-right.
People can only request assisted dying if they meet the following criteria:
They must be over 18 years old
They must have French nationality or residency
They must be suffering from “a serious and incurable condition, whatever the cause, which is life-threatening, in an advanced stage” or “terminal”.
They must “present physical or psychological suffering” which is “either resistant to treatment or unbearable”
They must be able to express their wishes freely and with full knowledge of their will
An amendment was adopted on Monday stating that “psychological suffering alone cannot, under any circumstances, allow one to benefit from assisted dying”.
This means people suffering from psychological conditions will not be able to request assisted dying.
Read more: What is happening with France’s assisted dying debate?
On Wednesday, MPs approved the conditions under which people would need to request assisted dying.
These include:
The same person cannot submit multiple requests at the same time
The doctor who receives the request cannot be a relative of the patient
The request cannot be made by remote consultation. (An amendment by the independent Liot group was adopted, allowing for the request to be made at the patient’s home or “any place where care is being provided” if the person cannot go to their doctor)
The doctor must inform the patient about their state of health and that they are eligible for palliative care
The doctor should also suggest that the patient and their loved ones be referred to a psychologist or psychiatrist
Right-wing MPs had tried to make a consultation with a psychologist or psychiatrist compulsory, but some Green party MPs argued this would take the choice away from the patient, if subject to a psychiatrist’s decision.
Health Minister Catherine Vautrin said the government would introduce an amendment stipulating that doctors should seek the opinion of a psychiatrist “when they have serious doubts about the person’s judgement”.
Read also: ‘We have never been so close’: Why France may soon legalise assisted dying
The sometimes heated debates form part of two weeks of discussions on the assisted dying bill, which was tabled by MoDem’s Olivier Falorni and arrived in the Assemblée nationale on May 12.
The bill was first introduced in France in May 2024, but an examination by MPs was disrupted when President Macron called snap legislative elections.
Two formal votes, on the assisted dying bill and a bill to improve palliative care, are scheduled to take place on May 27.
While the palliative care bill is expected to be passed easily, there is more division among MPs on the issue of assisted dying.
Proponents point to the widespread public support for assisted dying legislation – a citizens convention made up of 184 people from across France voted with 76% in favour for some kind of assisted dying or euthanasia. And an Ifop poll in May 2025 found almost three-quarters of doctors support assisted dying.
Supporters also say France is lagging behind other countries on the issue, and people should be able to decide for themselves how their life ends.
Read more: Assisted dying should be legal, concludes French PM’s citizen debate
However opponents argue the focus should be on improving palliative care, which is still unavailable to half of patients who could benefit from access to it, according to a 2023 report by France’s Cour des Comptes.
Some are also against the legalisation on religious grounds, while others think the bill should give family members more of a say in the decision.
The government itself is split on the issue, with Health Minister Catherine Vautrin supporting it and Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau against the bill.
MPs are still debating 1,200 amendments to the bill.
