The ongoing political crisis in France is once again jeopardising the progress of the bill on assisted dying (\u201cAide \u00e0 mouir\u201d). In October, the French Senate (upper house of the French parliament) should have dealt with the bill, which was approved by the \u201cAssembl\u00e9e\u201d (lower house) at first reading on 27 May 2025. The no-confidence vote against and the subsequent resignation of head of government Fran\u00e7ois Bayrou, the turmoil around his successor, S\u00e9bastien Lecornu, the formation of a new government and the adoption of the controversial annual budget have shifted political priorities once again. Various items, including the assisted dying bill, have been removed from the agenda for the time being, and the further timetable is uncertain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the 2027 presidential elections at the latest, the bill needs to have passed the entire process and been approved. Whether this can be achieved is uncertain, as there are still many potential pitfalls. In the Senate, the bill could still undergo significant changes and restrictions which the Assembl\u00e9e does not support, or it could even be blocked altogether. In the event of a blockade, President Macron has not ruled out a referendum, which would take further time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Time could thus be running out. For now, people living in France can only fulfil their wish to end their own lives self-determinedly by resorting to risky and\/or illegal methods at home, or by choosing the long and strenuous journey abroad, in order to die in a legal and professionally supported manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n