Many politicians are still undecided about whether the terminally ill should be allowed to take their own lives.
Lawmakers in Britain are debating a divisive law on assisted dying for terminally ill patients ahead of what is expected to be a conscience vote.
Parliament began the second reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) bill on Friday, examining whether mentally competent adults with a terminal illness who have less than six months to live should be allowed to end their lives with medical assistance.
Opening the debate, Labor MP Kim Leadbeater, who proposed the measure, said changing the law would give terminally ill people “choice, independence and dignity at the end of their lives”.
Those in favor of the bill, which will apply in England and Wales, say it is about reducing the death of those who are terminally ill and giving them more control. Opponents believe that vulnerable, sick people will feel pressured to take their own lives to avoid being a burden on their families.
“Let's be clear, we're not talking about choosing between life or death, we're talking about giving dying people the choice of how they'll die,” said Leadbeater, when supporters of both parties gathered outside parliament.
Two polls last week showed that the majority of people support the proposed law, but many members of parliament indicated that they still have to make a decision before a free vote, which will allow them to vote according to their conscience rather than party. lines.
Leadbeater said the bill would include “the strongest safeguards in the world” – the wish of any patient to die would have to be signed by a judge and two doctors.
But support in parliament appears to be less secure, with some MPs saying the current proposal lacks detail and needs to be backed up by more research to study the legal and financial implications of changing the law.
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle rejected Friday's request by a group of MPs to stop further debate on the bill. They had previously filed a proposed amendment, which would prevent the bill from moving forward to a vote.
If MPs vote for the bill, it will move on to the next stage of the parliamentary process, and face another vote in 2025.
If the United Kingdom finally passes this law, it will join other countries such as Australia, Canada and other US countries in introducing major social reforms.
Since the 1961 Suicide Act, it has been illegal in England and Wales to encourage or assist suicide, and those found guilty face up to 14 years in prison.
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