Assisted dying: MPs return to assisted suicide - the solemn vote on June 30 approaches

Context

We had been following, since the spring of 2026, the progress of the bill on assisted dying: vote in committee, rejection of 201 amendments, demonstration on June 28 in Place Fontenoy in Paris, and the dissent of three left-wing MPs (Belluco, Potier, Peu) refusing to vote for a text contrary to their conscience. The solemn vote is now set for June 30, 2026. In the final hours of the parliamentary shuttle, MPs made a formal shift: a return to the formula of assisted suicide, excluding the lethal act entrusted to doctors.

The Facts

According to La Croix (June 27, 2026), the majority opted for a system where the patient themselves ingests the lethal substance, with the doctor limited to prescribing it and overseeing the process. This "safeguard" is presented as a concession to healthcare professionals. It is not: the doctor remains the legal and moral author of the act, since they prescribe, prepare, and supervise. The First President of the Court of Cassation, Véronique Malbec, reminded the Council of State of the primacy of Article 2 of the ECHR – the right to life. Archbishop Aveline of Marseille stated the essential point: "One cannot disguise the act of giving death as a gesture of care." Prime Minister Bayrou remained "reserved" without easing any pressure on the agenda.

Doctrinal Analysis

The distinction between assisted suicide and euthanasia is, morally speaking, without substance: in both cases, there is a deliberate act to end a human life. Evangelium Vitae (John Paul II, no. 65) is unambiguous: "All this leads to the conclusion that euthanasia is a grave violation of the law of God, inasmuch as it is the deliberate and morally unacceptable killing of a human person." The Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 2277) specifies: "Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable." The providential motto chosen by Leo XIV for his visit to France – "That the world may have life" (Jn 10:10) – resonates as a spiritual judgment on this debate.

Stakes for the Church and the Faithful

The "Dutch slope" is now well-documented: since the legalization of euthanasia in the Netherlands in 2002, the scope of application has continually expanded – up to the extension of the law in 2023 to children aged 1 to 12 suffering from incurable terminal illnesses. France is embarking on this path. Catholic healthcare professionals have a conscience clause included in the text – but it will be legally challenged from the first refusals. Catholic hospitals and palliative care facilities will face institutional pressure.

Critical Reading and Blind Spots

The chosen semantics – "assisted dying," "freedom to choose," "personal autonomy" – erase ontological reality. No in-depth debate has taken place on palliative care, whose funding remains chronically insufficient in France. The government refused any moratorium to develop it before legislating. This is the most revealing blind spot: a society that votes for death before having funded life until its natural end.

To Reflect and Act

"I am the resurrection and the life: whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live" (Jn 11:25). Support palliative care associations (JALMALV, ASP Fondatrice). Write to your MP before June 30. Join the mobilization on June 28 in Place Fontenoy.