The decree aimed at decriminalizing euthanasia was approved this Friday in the Assembly of the Republic, following the second political veto of the President of the Republic. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is now obliged to implement the decriminalization of medically assisted death.
For example, euthanasia becomes legal in Portugal, with the adoption of the diploma for the decriminalization of medically assisted death, by 129 votes in favour, 81 against and one abstention.
This total far exceeded the 116 votes needed to confirm the diploma.
In addition to the PS, the Liberal Initiative, Bloco de Esquerda, PAN and Livre, seven PSD deputies voted in favor (Adão Silva, António Maló de Abreu, Rosina Ribeiro Pereira, Hugo Carvalho, Mónica Quintela, Sofia Matos, Catarina Rocha Ferreira) ,
The PSD voted against, as did four PS deputies (João Azevedo, Cristina Sousa, Joaquim Barreto and Sobrinho Teixeira), Chega and PCP.
PSD deputy Jorge Mendes chose to abstain.
PS, Bloco de Esquerda, Iniciativa Liberal and PAN, the four authors of the diploma, therefore chose to reaffirm the text, as they had already announced.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa justified the April 19 political veto due to the text’s lack of clarity over who defines a patient’s physical inability to self-administer lethal drugs after deputies amended the diploma to allow the primacy of medically assisted determine medications. suicide over euthanasia. A problem of “accuracy”, in the words of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The head of state also made it clear that, in a scenario of reconfirmation of the diploma, he will have nothing to oppose: “It’s life, there is no drama”.
According to the Constitution, the head of state is obliged to proclaim the diploma within eight days of receipt if the same text is confirmed by the absolute majority of the deputies in office (116 out of 230).
This is the fourth bill that aims to decriminalize medically assisted death and amend the Criminal Code. The issue has already been the target of two political vetoes by the head of state and two vetoes over unconstitutionality declared by the Constitutional Court.
The parliamentary discussion on death by medical aid began three terms of office after the presentation to the General Assembly of the Republic of a petition with 8400 signatures calling for the decriminalization of euthanasia, following a manifesto of the citizens’ movement “Right to Die with Dignity”. But the issue would not be put to a vote until May 2018. Although all projects were then rejected, the PS was five votes away from approval and a new round was promised for the next legislature.
The decriminalization of medically assisted death would be widely approved for the first time in early 2020. It was the beginning of the current legislative process: three years and three months back and forth between the Assembly of the Republic, the São Bento Palace and the Ratton Palace, the headquarters of the TC.
Source: DN
