France’s Senate (upper house) rejected a government-backed bill on ‘assisted dying’, halting one of the most debated social policy changes in recent years. The law, which had already passed the lower National Assembly, aimed to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide for patients at the end of life.

The Senate’s vote came after intense debate, in which several lawmakers significantly altered the original draft. The rebellion came from an alliance of right-wing and centrist senators, who voted to categorically reject the major reform.

Many argued that the law, as passed by the National Assembly, no longer reflected a balanced or practical approach. Before the vote, Senator Loïc Hervé argued

You can’t ask senators who are opposed to euthanasia and assisted suicide to vote for such an article.

Ultimately, the Senate rejected the bill with 181 votes against and 122 in favor, effectively removing all provisions on assisted dying.

President Emmanuel Macron had promised the law during his re-election campaign in 2022 and indicated a referendum could follow if parliamentary consensus could not be reached. 

The proposed change had been viewed as one of the most significant social policy changes in France since the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2012.

While the assisted dying bill was blocked, the Senate did approve separate legislation improving end-of-life care.