The subject of the end of life affects all French people, directly or indirectly. As in every presidential election, several candidates are in favor of changing the legislative framework, with the possibility for people with an incurable disease to have recourse to euthanasia (the medical profession makes the decision and performs the injection lethal) or assisted suicide (the patient is involved in the process and injects the product himself). Even if they are not all explicit on the device, all the candidates on the left are in favor of a new law along these lines.
On the right, the candidates are not pleading to go further, but are calling for better application of the Claeys-Leonetti law. This text, voted in 2016, allows people to share their advance directives and regulates the use of deep and continuous sedation, until death, for terminally ill patients. Franceinfo returns to the positions of the twelve contenders for the Elysée.
On the left, unanimity in favor of assisted suicide
Nathalie Arthaud is in favor of changing the law. “I think we have to go further than the Leonetti law and authorize assisted suicide, euthanasia”, confides to franceinfo the candidate Lutte Ouvrière. On the other hand, she wishes to set up “safeguards”because “there are behaviors that are completely deviant”.
Anne Hidalgo also supports the legalization of assisted suicide. “This will be one of the first laws I will carry, I have been a member of the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity for years”, announces to franceinfo the socialist. According to his program (in PDF)the new law would be based “on three principles” : respect for the patient’s wishes through advance directives, support in the last moments through access to palliative care and the right to access active assistance in dying.
Jean-Luc Melenchon also proposes an evolution of the law. “Of course, when you create the right to assisted suicide, you don’t force anyone to commit suicide, but it is a fundamental freedom and I believe that it should even be enshrined in the Constitution., explains to franceinfo the candidate of the Popular Union. On must respect the absolute possibility for each of us to control his own life.” In his program, he also mentions guaranteed access to palliative care.
Fabien Roussel joined the other left-wing candidates. “I hope that the whole of society can evolve with this aspiration to be able to benefit, when it is unavoidable, from what is called assisted suicide, euthanasia”, assures the communist candidate to franceinfo, although his program does not address the issue. He also calls for better application of the Claeys-Leonetti law and “that we put resources into information and prevention”.
Philippe Poutou also want a change. “We are ready to legalize euthanasia during our five-year term because, for us, it is a question of respect for human life”explains the candidate of the New Anti-Capitalist Party. It is absolutely necessary to create the means to ensure that people can leave as they wish.”
Yannick Jadot also supports the legalization of euthanasia. “I want everyone to be able to have access to a dignified end of lifeargues the environmental candidate. I will change the law to legalize euthanasia and make the right to die with dignity a universal right. This last moment of life must be a chosen moment because it is one of the most important. It also proposes in its program to create palliative care homes, to double the number of mobile palliative care teams and to double the beds specialized in this type of service.
On the right, the candidates refuse euthanasia
Eric Zemmour evoked “a tricky question”but does not want assisted suicide to be introduced. “I think we must avoid euthanasia which can allow all excesses, all abuses”justifies the candidate of the Reconquest! movement. “On the other hand, we must also be very careful that there is no therapeutic relentlessness. We are between the two”he says.
Valerie Pécresse does not come out in favor of changing the legislation, but calls for the full application of the law Claeys-Leonetti. “Today, there is a total inequality vis-à-vis the end of life between the French” depending on access to palliative care in their territory, believes candidate LR. “You have a law which allows what is called ‘terminal sedation’, it is the possibility for the French to leave without suffering at the end of their life and to be able to have this terminal sedation in the hospital, but also at their home.”
Marine Le Pen is not “not ready to legalize euthanasia”. The RN candidate, on the other hand, claims “a great plan to develop palliative care”. “We are way behind in this area.she decides. We really need to make a qualitative leap in the field of palliative care, in the field of the fight against pain and in particular at the end of life. There are still a third of the departments where there are no palliative care structures.
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan also calls for proper application of the Leonetti law, “that is to say, to ensure that deep sedation, organized in collaboration with families and doctors, can be offered in a safe legal framework”. For the candidate of Debout la France, “if we already did that, we would allow a lot of much sweeter, honorable, dignified end of life”.
Those who rely on public debate
Emmanuel Macron want to ask “of a more humane end of life” as part of’“a Citizens’ Convention”. According to its program, reflection “will associate citizens, ethics specialists, professionals”. On the basis of the conclusions of this convention, the outgoing president then wishes to submit “to the national representation or to the people, the choice to go to the end of the road which will be recommended”according to his statements made during the presentation of his presidential project.
John Lassalle claims “a great debate around this question”who will be “certainly punctuated by a referendum”. “Personally, I consider that it is useless to make those who can no longer suffer beyond that”he explains to franceinfo.