France's lower house adopts final text of right-to-die law

France's National Assembly gave final approval Wednesday to legislation allowing adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication, capping years of contentious debate over end-of-life care.

Lawmakers passed the bill 291-241, completing a legislative journey President Emmanuel Macron set in motion more than three years ago. The law establishes a right to assisted dying under strict conditions: patients must be adults with an incurable condition, capable of expressing themselves freely, and suffering physical pain that either resists treatment or that they find unbearable. A doctor verifies eligibility, a panel reviews the criteria, and the patient can withdraw consent at any point. The lethal substance is self-administered unless the patient is physically unable, in which case a doctor or nurse may step in.

The fight is not over. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has referred the legislation to the Constitutional Council, whose binding rulings could strike down sections or the entire law. The right-wing dominated Senate rejected the bill last year, and heavyweights from Les Républicains, including Senate speaker Gerard Larcher, remain staunchly opposed. The government used its constitutional power to let the lower house have the final say.

The traditionally Catholic country joins roughly 300 million people worldwide with access to assisted dying.