The editorial treatment of the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life

In a report validated last Sunday, the Citizens’ Convention on the end of life answered: “yes” to three-quarters, to active assistance in dying. This covers the opening of euthanasia and assisted suicide. The Citizens’ Convention has, however, attached these positions to significant restrictions, and Emmanuel Macron has announced a bill by the end of the summer.

Emmanuelle Daviet: Florent Guyotat, what was your editorial treatment of this news on franceinfo? A listener would first like to know who you gave the floor to, and above all, how you ensured a balanced and respectful presentation of the different points of view on this sensitive subject?

Florent Guyotat: First of all, as you have just said, it is a complex subject which also refers to the intimate convictions of each one. So, as always, we try to be as balanced as possible. This means first of all that we followed the work of the members of the Citizens’ Convention for several weeks, and within this Convention itself.

It was interesting to see, particularly in the reports by Solenne Le Hen, that there were many nuances, there were people we heard in this report, who had arrived at the start of the Convention, at the start of their work, with very clear-cut convictions, and in contact with other people who did not have the same opinion, nor the same experiences either, they were able to influence their opinion, or in any case take a more nuanced position.

It is also our concern to show that, quite simply. And then, our concern is also to give voice to different sensitivities. We heard people who were in favor of euthanasia, who even intended to use it themselves, including a report by Willy Moreau.

And we also gave the floor at the beginning of last week to the president of the French Federation of palliative care, who has a different opinion, she believes that the current law should not change, and that we must first use fully this law, the famous Claeys-Leonetti law.

We also make an educational effort, because we use concepts that we hear very often: deep sedation, euthanasia, active assistance in dying. These terms have a very precise ethical and scientific meaning, and we have made the effort with our decryption cell, our “true from false” cell, to explain each of these terms, so that everyone can make a opinion.

A listener wants to know if the sensitive issue of religious beliefs has been addressed on the air?

Of course, we were just discussing this report with people who were in favor of euthanasia and who themselves intended to use it. But we also give the floor to the representatives of the various religious institutions.

I remember in particular in our 6/7h, presented every morning on franceinfo by Aurélien Accart, of the presence of the representative of the Protestant Federation of France, Christian Krieger. It was interesting to hear him, because he recognized that even within his federation, there were debates.

There are of course people who have deep religious convictions, who are opposed to any active assistance in dying, to euthanasia. But there are also people who have come a long way, who have evolved. He told us that, it was interesting, even poignant.

And then, we continue to give the floor to the representatives of the different religions, this Monday, April 10, on franceinfo, Stanislas Lalanne, the bishop of Pontoise, spokesperson for the Conference of Bishops of France, will be our guest. He will have the opportunity to say what he thinks of this Citizens’ Convention on the end of life, and of the future bill in preparation. We also gave voice to the Jewish community and the Muslim community.

How will you continue to follow this file?

We have time to do that because there is the preparation of this bill which must be completed before the end of the summer. We will continue to do what we have been doing so far, which is to give voice, as much as possible, to all sensitivities on this issue.