The Prime Minister opened the citizen agreement on Friday which, for three months, debate the framework of support for the end of life.
mo12345lemonde with AFP
“Be free” to “emancipate received ideas, to say your doubts, your disagreements,” said Elisabeth Borne, opening the citizen convention on the end of life on Friday, December 9, which will debate for three months Two hundred French people drawn. “Faced with the work that awaits you, I would have only one recommendation: be free,” urged the Prime Minister on the premises of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (EESC) in Paris.
“Free to emancipate you from received ideas, to say your doubts, your disagreements, to share your experiences, to let you convince, and of course, above all, to defend your opinions, your convictions, in the concern of the good “She added. The government’s chef has promised to “return” to the Convention to “present the consequences which will be given to [these] works”.
The work of this new citizen convention, announced in September by Emmanuel Macron, will have to decide a question: “The frame of end-of-life support is adapted to the different situations encountered or any changes should -There will be introduced? “” To answer this question will lead you to evoke many subjects “, such as access to palliative care, ethical requirements or even support in mourning, listed Elisabeth Borne.
The terms “euthanasia” or “assisted suicide” are not explicitly mentioned. But participants will undoubtedly look at the relevance of legalizing one or the other. This sensitive dossier is marked by important political and societal divisions.
“relationship to life, suffering and death”
“It is not an easy mission entrusted to you,” admitted the Prime Minister. “It is not a debate that admits a good and a bad answer. It is on the contrary a reflection in nuances and responsibility. Which pushes us to question, more broadly, our model of society and solidarity. Our relationship with life, suffering and death. “
“The medical decision is obviously central, but it is only one aspect of the debate. The end of life is also an issue of humanity, a requirement of anticipation, support, an ethical care, “she said.
For the French drawn in recent weeks (173 at the last score, a figure that could increase slightly), the principle will be the same as during the previous citizen agreement, which had looked at the climate three years ago : Advise the executive.
The current law, known as claeys-leonetti and the latest version of 2016, provides for a “deep sedation” for terminal phase and inapacible sufferings, but does not allow euthanasia or suicide assistance.
Should we change this framework? The French drawn to think about it, with in mind a Notice rendered in September by the National Ethics Advisory Committee . This organization, whose opinions do not have the force of law but serve as a reference to public policies, has for the first time considered possible to legalize “active help to die”, but on many conditions and without unanimity of its members.