On euthanasia

• November 2020

 The Assembly of the Republic has an ongoing debate on the law to decriminalise medically assisted death, after having approved, on February 20, five Bills on the matter. The political parties are working now to reach a replacement “common text” on decriminalizing euthanasia, taking into account the Bills that have previously been approved. This common text will after be debated on the specialty.
Later, the law will be voted in parliament but some positions are already known: The People’s Party (CDS-PP) and the Communist Party are against it; and there are divisions in the Socialist Party (PS), as in the Social Democratic Party (PSD).
If approved, its entry into force will still depend on the promulgation by the President of the Republic.

 A popular initiative of a referendum on euthanasia, and signed by more than 95 thousand people, was rejected by the Assembly of the Republic on 23rd. October.