French Euthanasia Bill Blocked

By Hannah Thompson 

To view original article, click here.

The Social Affairs Commission had debated and voted for the bill, but it has now been blocked by 3,000 amendments.

A proposal to legalise assisted dying for people with incurable diseases has been blocked in the French parliament, largely by five opposition party MPs.

The MPs from the opposition party Les Républicains submitted 2,158 amendments to the bill, of a total of 3,000. This means the proposal is very unlikely to be adopted as planned on Thursday April 8.

Latvia Parliament Rejects Euthanasia Initiative

Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, has rejected the “For Good Death” initiative, which had called for the legalization of euthanasia. 49 members voted in favor of rejection, 38 against, two abstained.

At the beginning of February, the public initiative portal Manabalss.lv collected the necessary 10,000 signatures on an initiative to legalize euthanasia in Latvia. 

Previously, the citizens' initiative on euthanasia legalization was rejected by the Saeima Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Commission. 

Portugal Euthanasia Bill Declared Unconstitutional

  

 

by Filipe Avillez. For original article click here

Portugal’s euthanasia bill has been declared unconstitutional by the country’s top court.

Parliament initially approved five proposed laws on euthanasia in February 2020, these were then streamlined into a single bill which was approved by the house and sent to the President, who had the option of signing it outright, vetoing it or sending it to the constitutional court. He chose the latter, asking the judges to look specifically at issues with the terminology.

Pro-euthanasia parties – mostly left-wing, with the notable exception of the Communist Party, which has come out firmly against euthanasia – ignored the opinions of every expert organization in approving the law, including the doctors’, nurses’ and lawyers’ guilds and the ethics committee.

Margaret Dore: The "Oregon Experience," Ann Jackson, and Why the Proposed Right to Die Must Be Rejected in South Africa

Below please find Margaret Dore's expert witness memorandum, prepared for a South Africa court case, Suzanne Walter v. Ministry of Health. See also the comment below from a South African advocate:  

A number of the points made by you are incisive and helpful. I found your interpretation of section 27 of the Constitution particularly useful.... The argument will, amongst others, find its way into the final legal argument before the High Court, and the courts that follow.

To view Dore's original memorandum, click here. To view the memorandum's three-part appendix, click part 1, part 2 and part 3.  

Hearing Today: Tell the Connecticut Public Health Committee to Reject Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia

Dore with Elaine Kolb

"Don't render yourselves, and the people you care about, sitting ducks to heirs and other predators."

By Margaret Dore, Esq.

To read Dore's analysis opposing Raised Bill No. 6425, with supporting documentation, click here and here.

1.    The Bill

The proposed bill, "An Act Concerning Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill," seeks to legalize “aid in dying,” which is a euphemism for active euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.[1] 

2. Who May Be Most at at Risk?

Individuals with money, meaning the middle class and above. 

Portugal's Euthanasia Law Goes For Constitutional Review

https://www.kget.com/health/portugals-euthanasia-law-goes-for-constitutional-review

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal’s president on Thursday asked the country’s Constitutional Court to evaluate a recent law passed by parliament that allows euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill and gravely injured people.

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said in a statement the legislation appears “excessively imprecise,” potentially creating a situation of “legal uncertainty.” 

Lawmakers three weeks ago approved by a significant majority the final wording of the bill, following almost a year of discussions to detail administrative procedures and other aspects of the procedures. The bill then went to the head of state, who had to decide whether to approve the law, veto it or send it to the Constitutional Court for review. 

Rebelo de Sousa said the bill also raises a series of questions about the constitutionality of “such a complex and controversial issue.” 

Parliament can override a presidential veto by voting a second time for approval.