French president favors passage of bill on end-of-life options

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – The French president on Monday expressed his wish to adopt a bill on end-of-life options.

Emmanuel Macron in a news conference did not use the words "euthanasia" or "assisted suicide," but said he wants to adopt a bill "based on the French model" by the end of this summer.

He received earlier the Civic Council, which contains randomly chosen members among French citizens.

The majority of those 184 citizens voted in favor of assisted death (76%), while 23% rejected it.

The jury then submitted to the president a report suggesting more than a hundred measures.

Macron also voiced his intention to adopt a 10-year plan about pain management and palliative care.

Euthanasia and assisted suicide are delicate topics that provoke rows in many countries, including Portugal, where President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has constantly vetoed the draft bill on legalizing euthanasia.

The Portuguese parliament has adopted the bill four times in five years.