Ruling Coalition Introduces Comprehensive End-Of-Life Bill

Rome: A legislative proposal supported by the coalition backing Premier Giorgia Meloni’s government, aimed at addressing the legislative gap on end-of-life matters, is set to be debated in the Senate on July 17. This development follows the bill’s approval by the Senate’s justice and health committees.

According to Ansa News Agency, the proposed bill seeks to codify the conditions under which assisted suicide is permissible, as outlined by the Constitutional Court’s 2019 ruling. The ruling specified that assisted suicide could be deemed legal if certain conditions are met, such as the presence of an irreversible disease, unbearable suffering either physically or psychologically, dependence on life-sustaining treatments, and the patient’s capacity to comprehend their decision.

The legislation emphasizes the necessity of palliative care for individuals considering assisted suicide and underscores the importance of the right to life irrespective of one’s age, health, or social status. Opposition parties have opposed the bill, criticizing its focus on palliative care and expressing concerns that the exclusion of assisted suicide from the national health service could lead to its privatization.

A significant feature of the bill is the establishment of a seven-member committee, appointed by the government, to evaluate assisted suicide requests and provide decisions within a 90-day timeframe. Prior to the 2019 court ruling, several individuals were assisted in ending their lives by the Luca Coscioni association, which facilitated their journey to the Dignitas Clinic in Zurich for assisted suicide.