On January 21, the French Senate took an unexpected turn in the processing of the bill on so-called medical assistance in dying. The senators clearly rejected Article 4, the piece that set the necessary conditions to implement euthanasia and assisted suicide. The rejection leaves the text without its operational core and complicates the path of a reform that the Government wants to push forward.
The rejected article was the one that defined who could access medical assistance in dying and under what circumstances. Without those conditions, the proposal is disarmed in its practical part, even if the rest of the articles continue their parliamentary course. The episode also reflects that the Senate discusses the matter from a different logic than that of the National Assembly, with a tendency toward a more restrictive framework.
A rejection for different reasons
The turn is explained by a combination of rejections that, in practice, coincided. Some senators in favor of legalization considered the debated version insufficient, while opponents rejected the very principle of normalizing provoked death as a health response. That clash left the article without a majority. The portal France Catholique highlighted precisely that convergence as one of the elements that led to the unexpected result but
The conscience clause is extended to institutions
In parallel, the Senate approved an amendment that opens the door to a conscience clause for medical-social establishments that do not want assistance in dying to be practiced in their facilities, with the obligation to direct the patient to another structure if they maintain their request. The measure aims to protect institutions, including those with a confessional identity, from possible pressure derived from a future legalization.
What happens now with the law
The Senate must pronounce on January 28 with a global vote on the entire text. After that, the proposal would return to the National Assembly, and in case of disagreement, the discussion would continue between both chambers. If the blockage persists, the Government can resort to a joint parliamentary committee to attempt a compromise wording.
The referendum option returns to the horizon
In the background, a political possibility that Macron has mentioned if the debate gets stuck remains present. The calling of a referendum so that the French can pronounce directly. The idea is controversial from a legal and political point of view, but it has been proposed as an exit route in case of parliamentary slowdown and is an option on the board for the future of this law in France.