France’s leading evangelical body has expressed “deep sadness” after the country’s parliament approved legislation legalising assisted suicide, describing the move as a significant ethical turning point and renewing calls for greater investment in palliative care.
The National Council of Evangelicals of France (CNEF) issued a statement following Wednesday’s vote in the National Assembly, which backed legislation permitting certain adults with incurable, life-threatening illnesses to receive assistance to end their lives.
The bill, which was approved by 291 votes to 241 after three parliamentary readings, now awaits a ruling from France's Constitutional Council before it can become law.
Responding to the decision, CNEF said the legislation represented a “major ethical and anthropological turning point” for France.
The evangelical body said it had spent more than three years engaging with the issue through parliamentary hearings, open letters and public debate, consistently arguing that “every human life possesses intrinsic and absolute value, from its beginning to its natural end”.
It warned that legalising assisted suicide weakens the long-standing principle that human life should not be intentionally ended.
CNEF rejected suggestions that the legislation reflected social solidarity, arguing instead that genuine fraternity means accompanying people through suffering rather than “hastening” death.
The organisation expressed concern that the new law could create indirect pressure on elderly, disabled and seriously ill people, who may begin to feel they are placing an undue strain on their families or on society.
Rather than introducing assisted suicide, CNEF said the French government should have prioritised expanding access to palliative care, noting that specialist end-of-life services remain unavailable in many parts of the country.
The council voiced support for healthcare professionals who may face ethical dilemmas under the new legislation, calling for robust protection of their right to conscientious objection.
It further encouraged evangelical churches across France to strengthen practical support for people approaching the end of life, including pastoral visits.
“Today more than ever, our local communities are called to be witnesses of hope, presence, and concrete solidarity with the most vulnerable,” the statement concluded.
The legislation fulfils a commitment first made by President Emmanuel Macron in 2022 to open a pathway to “assisted dying”.
Under the bill, eligible adults suffering from “a serious and incurable illness in an advanced or terminal stage” would be permitted to end their lives by taking prescribed lethal medication themselves or, where they are physically incapable, having it administered by a healthcare professional.
The measure has attracted broad public support in opinion polls but has also drawn criticism from religious groups, medical professionals and campaign organisations, who have warned that vulnerable people might feel compelled to opt for assisted suicide and have likewise called for greater investment in palliative care instead.
