Analysis : Adoption of the end-of-life bill by the social affairs commission
During the social affairs commission, on Friday 2nd May 2025, MPs adopted the “End-of-life” bill whose title has been modified to ‘Law relative to the right to assisted dying’, i.e. assisted suicide and euthanasia.
On completion of its examination by the Social Affairs Commission which lasted from 25th April to 2nd May 2025, 68 amendments were adopted most of which worsen the text. The reporter claimed to preserve the “equilibrium” of the text by rejecting several amendments extending the criteria to provide access to “assisted dying”, clearly for tactical reasons, for the text to be adopted. That was the case for access to programmed death for minors or its recording in advance directives. As already stated by certain MPs, the law can be changed later.
The proposed procedure is particularly expeditious especially if death is not expected in the short term: 15 days maximum for the doctor to provide the decision on the checking of the criteria for eligibility for administered death, and 2 days reflection for the patient. Those times may be shortened “at the request of the person, if necessary, in order to safeguard his/her dignity.” In Belgium, if the life expectancy of the person is not threatened in the short term, there must be at least one month between the patient’s written request and the euthanasia.
None of the proposed safeguards aimed at protecting the vulnerable and health professionals who do not wish to contribute to programmed death, were adopted.
From the debates, the following were most notable:
- The refusal to pronounce the words euthanasia and assisted suicide which would have clarified the nature of the acts;
- The equality of access for assisted suicide and euthanasia which had however been presented initially as an exceptional procedure;
- The rejection of a conscience clause for chemists whereas most of the other nations which have legalised such practices apply one. An amendment even intends to force chemists to provide the substances on “the date specified”.
- The prohibition for private establishments which have clearly specified so in their charter, from refusing to conduct administered death procedures (which are not part of care) at their premises.
A particularly pernicious amendment by the MPs from the Ensemble pour la République and Ecologist parties was adopted, declaring induced death as a “natural death”, elaborated with the ADMD pro-euthanasia association.
Moreover, an amendment by the LFI MPs intends to check the exercise of the conscience clause of carers by the a posteriori supervisory commission. Several MPs even attempted to specify the offence of obstruction by the fact of not only “obstructing” but also “attempting to obstruct” the practice or the gathering of information on “assisted dying” by any means, which in effect endangers any intervention by suicide prevention professionals or even religious ministers. In vain. Similarly, the addition of an incitement offence was rejected.
The text was adopted by the 44 members of the social affairs commission present, which consists of 73 members: 28 for, 15 against and 1 abstention.
The examination has resulted in a totally unbalanced text which lifts the prohibition on inducing death, thus challenging the approach based on solidarity and true care. If it is accepted, the text will be for immediate application whereas the right to palliative care is subject to a ten-year development plan with no guarantee that it will be applied.
12th May marks the beginning of the parliamentary session to examine the law as well as the law governing palliative care.
See also the Alliance VITA press release.
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