The deputies decide to create « help to die » – Liberation

The first step of one of the most important societal reforms of the decade has been crossedthis Tuesday, May 27, to applause through the benches of the Assembly. The deputies adopted at first reading, by 305 votes for and 199 against, the creation of help to die in French. The debates were promising to be virulent, they were surprisingly serene; The vote could have been tightened, while no voting instructions were given, a large majority emerged. Olivier Falorni, general rapporteur of the text on help to die and fervent defender for more than a decade, has remained calm in his thanks, but we felt a touch of emotion. The day before, he recognized with Liberty Again « Some doubts ». Now dissipated.

Much more consensual, the Palliative Support and Care Actcarried by Annie Vidal, was also adopted. Unanimously. The two components of legislative evolution on the end of life, split into two as desired by François Bayrou, therefore passed the first reading of the lower room.

After almost 100 hours of words (spread over two weeks, for the two texts), there were still two more to complete the debates. Again, their « quality » was praised. Far from the violent and pernicious oratory to be expected. « The National Assembly was up to the challenges »wanted to underline the president, Yaël Braun-Pivet, in the preamble.

Then the representatives of the different groups paraded in the gallery, in an equally solemn atmosphere. The speakers, whether they are for or against, have developed the same visions defended since May 12, date of start to examination of the texts.

On palliative care, the unanimity of the vote was well predictable. Each parliamentarian has rented the extreme necessity of this law, supposed to be the legislative base of the ten-year strategy of 1.1 billion euros over ten years presented by the government in April 2024. Today, only half of the people likely to benefit from palliative care actually has access to it and nineteen departments still do not have specific unit.

To answer it, the text provides in particular a right enforceable against palliative care and the creation of « Support and palliative care houses ». A multi -year program should determine, before the end of 2025 and then every five years, the trajectory of development of the supply of this care. On the left, we did not fail to bring the principles back to concrete. MP Yannick Monnet therefore called to « Reinvest in a public health policy » And « Shake austerity ». Appointment is given to the next vote of the security budget.

But on the help of dying, the same divisions broke out again in the hemicycle. Some have described their desire to vote for this « Exceptional measurement »,, « Ultimate appeal » For « Get out of the impasse » suffering that can no longer be relieved and leave the choice of his death. Others have once again denounced a « Programmed death »,, « Door open to drifts »prejudicial « To the most vulnerable ».

« There is no question of encouraging anyone, forcing caregivers to give a license to killinsisted the socialist Stéphane Delautrette, also co-rapporteur of the law, already providing for the arguments of his opponents. Opinion shared by Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, former minister and deputy Horizons, expressed herself on his behalf – like all parliamentary groups, hers left the freedom to vote. This text « Do not open up free-free freedom, it offers a marked, demanding, thoughtful path. » It is based, like the other defenders of helping to die, on the five eligibility criteria, cumulative: to be at least 18 years old; French or stable and regular resident; suffering from a « Serious and incurable affection » Who « Surges the vital prognosis in advanced phase » Or « Terminale » ; « Present constant physical or psychological suffering » – knowing that a « Psychological suffering alone » will not be sufficient; « Be able to manifest your will in a free and enlightened way ».

And if the text adopted today by the deputies is very close to the release version of the commission, the elected representative of Seine-Maritime praised some of its rare modifications: the concept of « Advanced phase » clarified, with the definition of the High Authority for Health (« Entering an irreversible process marked by the worsening of the health of the sick person who affects their quality of life »). The collegiality of the reinforced decision: The doctor will have to bring together a specialist at least of pathology, a caregiver involved in the treatment of the patient and himself. He will have to make a decision within fifteen days of the patient’s request, which will then have two days to confirm it.

So many guarantees supposed to maintain a « balance »principle hammered by Olivier Falorni in recent weeks. Even if it means disappointing, including in the camp of the defenders. What some leftist speakers have not failed to evoke. Like his socialist colleague Stéphane Delautrette or the rebellious Elise Leboucher, Marie-Noël Battistel « Regret » that the « Free choice of the method of administration of the lethal substance » has not been kept-the patient will have to administer him himself, not the doctor or nurse who will necessarily be by his side, unless he is physically unable to do so. There are also the « Anticipated directives »,, « Not fully recognized » in the text to ask to die, at risk « To exclude certain patients with neurodegenerative neurodegenerative (pathologies) ».

But when parliamentarians favorable to help to die endeavor to describe a framework « strict »the others continue to denounce its dangers. And deplore not to have been heard. Also Vincent Trébuchet (UDR) denounced the « Constance (of the Commission and the Government) to be rejected «  their opposite voices, insufficient listening of speech pointing them « Drifts (reported) internationally »alerts «  »Patients and people with disabilitieswhich will be eligible tomorrow and are afraid of it ”. « We were collectively unable to bring good sense safeguards! »

And in an increasingly filled hemicycle as the times of the two solemn votes approached, the murmurs were a little stronger, and the protests covered the very critical voice of the Ciotist Hanane Mansouri. The Republican Philippe Juvin, one of the firmer opponents for helping to die, was the last to express themselves. And to sound his anger. “We are told that it is a law on end of life; It’s false, we can live years (with these criteria)! ” He first launched, endeavoring to respond, point by point, to advanced guarantees, under the objections of many other parliamentarians. “You say, we will not force anyone; It is true, but when you are poor and alone, freedom of choice is distorted and I fear that this text will push vulnerable people to the exit door. ” The doctor leaves the gallery to resounding applause on the right. But her voice may have pierced in the hemicycle, she was obviously in the minority.

The large majority obtained for the creation of a right to help to die should not hide the long path yet to go. After the lower room, the upper room comes. And the Senate, where the right is largely in the majority, augurs for a tighter reading. Beware of the stack, warned Emmanuel Macron, who is a vote before the end of his five -year term. « The Veil law was voted in three months, it would not be capable of voting that on help to die in two years? » added on Monday Olivier Falorni with Liberty. It would be a terrible admission of helplessness. «  Start of response this fall.

Updated at 9:30 p.m. with more context.