MADRID, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Spanish legislators have voted in favour of a draft bill that could see the country become the seventh in the world to decriminalise euthanasia, overcoming years of opposition from the Roman Catholic Church and conservative politicians.
Legislators on Tuesday discussed a draft bill, proposed by the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), voting by 208 in favour to 140 against, with two abstentions.
The bill had support from the far-left Unidas Podemos, the centre-right Ciudadanos, and regional parties in the Basque Country and Catalonia.
The conservative Popular Party and the far-right Vox opposed the draft legislation but failed to muster the necessary votes to block the bill.
The proposal will return for a final vote at some point later this year and could be law soon after.
Under the proposed legislation, patients will be able to apply to end their lives through the public healthcare system.
Currently, under Spanish law, helping somebody to die carries a potential five-year jail sentence and any person directly involved in causing another’s death can be tried for homicide and imprisoned for up to 10 years.
The draft bill stipulates that a person can only choose to die if they have a serious and incurable illness, or a chronic, severe disability. They must also be in a situation which makes life “unbearable”.
To qualify, they must be a Spanish citizen or a foreign national who is legally resident in the country.
A request to die must be made in writing, without pressure, and repeated after 15 days. Provisions are made for people who become incapacitated after giving instructions about their wishes.
Two different doctors must consider each case and then it is also examined by a separate commission.
The most recent poll, for Metroscopia last year, found 89 percent of Spaniards supported euthanasia for people with incurable conditions.
The Spanish Episcopal Conference of Catholic Bishops has consistently opposed any change to the law which twice failed to be passed.
The PSOE has modelled the bill on legislation in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Euthanasia has been decriminalised in Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Colombia, Luxembourg, Switzerland, parts of Australia and several US states. — NNN-AGENCIES