In several EU member states, such as Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Spain, the law now permits euthanasia under certain conditions. However, Switzerland remains the most well-known European country for legalizing euthanasia, as it has allowed legally assisted suicide since 1942. It is also one of the most popular destinations for foreigners seeking help in dying.
The legislation distinguishes between “euthanasia” and “assisted suicide.” In euthanasia, a doctor or helper administers a drug to intentionally end a patient’s life.In assisted suicide, the law prescribes lethal drugs to the patient, who must take them to end their life.
Martin Buysen, a professor of health law at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, believes that while euthanasia legalization may not occur in all countries at once, it will inevitably begin, particularly in Western and Northern European countries.
The Netherlands and Belgium were the first European countries to legalize some form of euthanasia in 2002. Under their laws, patients can only request euthanasia if they “experience continuous and unbearable suffering, including psychological, due to an incurable illness and have no prospect of improvement in their condition.”
Luxembourg legalized euthanasia in 2009, and Austria followed in 2022. Spain passed a law legalizing assisted dying in 2021. The far-right Vox party challenged the law in court last year, but the challenge was unsuccessful.
In 2023, the Netherlands recorded 9,068 cases of euthanasia, accounting for 5.4% of all deaths in the country that year, marking a 4% increase from 2022 and an 87% rise since 2013.
In Belgium, there were 3,423 euthanasia cases in 2023, representing 3.1% of all deaths, a 15% increase compared to the previous year.
Experts argue that the growing number of euthanasia cases reflects both an increase in its use and the expanding range of diagnoses for which patients request euthanasia.
Opponents of euthanasia warn of potential abuse of such legislation, particularly to the detriment of vulnerable populations. They argue that the rising number of assisted suicide cases should serve as a warning in debates on the legalization of euthanasia.
The legalization of euthanasia has encountered legal obstacles, particularly from conservative parties and religious institutions, sparking intense emotional debates.
In Portugal, the issue has been contentious. The Portuguese Parliament passed a Euthanasia Law four times over three years, but conservative President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa repeatedly vetoed it. Last year, Parliament managed to override his veto, compelling him to sign the Law. However, the law remains unpublished in the Portuguese Official Gazette, and with the shift from a socialist to a conservative government this year, it seems unlikely that lawmakers will enact it soon.
In Germany, euthanasia remains illegal, but the Federal Constitutional Court decriminalized it in 2020.
Italy’s Constitutional Court ruled in 2019 that assisted suicide is permissible when patients are capable of making decisions and are experiencing extreme pain. Following this ruling, the first known assisted suicide in Italy occurred in 2022, even though the country does not have laws permitting euthanasia. The Catholic Church strongly opposes the adoption of such a law.
Despite the Catholic Church’s significant influence in Ireland, the Irish Parliament proposed a Bill on Voluntary Assisted Dying this year. It gained support in its first reading but ultimately failed due to the dissolution of Parliament and early elections.
France also debated an Assisted Dying Bill earlier this year, but its adoption was delayed after the National Assembly was dissolved and early elections were called.
While euthanasia is increasingly discussed in Western European countries, it remains a taboo issue in Eastern and Central Europe. No country in Eastern Europe has legalized euthanasia, nor have there been any legislative proposals or initiatives for its legalization.
Veljko M. Turanjanin, a law professor at the University of Kragujevac in Serbia, explained that several attempts to initiate discussions on euthanasia legalization in Serbia have failed due to fierce opposition from the Orthodox Church.
Turanjanin said, “I think that in countries where the government and the Church are strongly connected, passing such laws will not be an easy task.”
