Sébastien Lecornu leads the French National Assembly in voting to create a right to assisted dying under strict conditions.
Sébastien Lecornu oversaw the National Assembly's vote to approve a bill granting French adults with serious, incurable, and life-threatening illnesses the right to assisted dying. The bill passed with a 291 to 241 vote, following three previous rejections by the Senate. The new law requires patients to suffer from constant physical or psychological pain that is resistant to treatment. Under the proposed legislation, a patient must freely express their intention to a doctor, who will make a final decision within 15 days. After a two-day reflection period, the patient will administer a lethal substance themselves, though a doctor or nurse may assist if necessary. While President Emmanuel Macron has long supported the legislation, Sébastien Lecornu has expressed some reservations regarding the specific terms. The prime minister will now refer parts of the bill to the Constitutional Council to ensure the law complies with the constitution before it officially becomes law. This move brings France closer to joining other European nations that have decriminalized assisted dying.