Spain passed a law approving euthanasia for adults with serious or incurable illnesses that cause long-term suffering.
“Today we have become a country that is more humane, fairer and freer,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote in a tweet minutes following the vote on Thursday. “The euthanasia law, widely demanded by society, has finally become a reality.”
Lawmakers in the Spanish Parliament’s lower house passed the law with 202 votes in favor and 141 against. Two lawmakers abstained from the vote, according to the BBC.
The passage of the law makes Spain the seventh country and the fourth in Europe to allow physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia for long-suffering patients of incurable diseases or unbearable permanent conditions. Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Colombia, Switzerland, and the Netherlands all allow physician-assisted euthanasia.
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Before the law was passed, assisting a patient in their death was punishable by a jail sentence of up to 10 years.
The law is expected to go into effect in June.
“Today is an important day: We are heading towards the recognition of human rights. We are heading towards a more humane and fair society,” Health Minister Carolina Darias said to lawmakers on Thursday.
The new law offers two voluntary methods of permitting a person to end their life, which are euthanasia and assisted suicide. A person requesting either procedure must suffer a “serious or incurable illness” or a “chronic or incapacitating” condition that causes “intolerable suffering.”
Those requesting assisted suicide or euthanasia must be an adult Spanish national or a legal resident and be “fully aware and conscious” when they make the request. The request must be submitted twice in writing, 15 days apart.
A physician or doctor has full permission to reject a request if the requirements are not met and can also deny a request on the basis of “conscience” from taking part in the procedure.
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Euthanasia and assisted suicide procedures in the United States vary state to state, though California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, Maine, New Jersey, Hawaii, and Washington state allow some form of voluntary assisted death procedures to take place. The District of Columbia also allows some procedures.
