Christians in France have spoken out against the parliament's decision to approve the legalization of assisted suicide

The French National Assembly voted to pass a controversial bill allowing assisted suicide for citizens suffering from incurable, terminal illnesses. According to Christian Today, this decision has drawn sharp criticism from the National Council of Evangelicals of France (CNEF), which described the move as a serious ethical turning point for the country.

The bill, approved by a vote of 291 to 241, allows adult patients with severe medical conditions to take lethal medications either on their own or with the assistance of medical personnel. Representatives of the evangelical community, who have participated in parliamentary discussions for the past three years, emphasized that human life has absolute value from birth to its natural end. According to the CNEF, the legalization of suicide undermines the principles of humanity and creates tacit pressure on the elderly and the seriously ill, who may begin to feel like a burden to their loved ones and society.

Instead of adopting this initiative, the CNEF believes the French government should focus on expanding access to high-quality palliative care, which is currently far from available in all regions of the country. In addition, the evangelical organization expressed concern for healthcare workers, for whom participation in life-terminating procedures could raise questions of professional ethics, and called on lawmakers to ensure robust protection of the right to refuse participation in such procedures on grounds of conscience.

The bill must now be reviewed by the French Constitutional Council before it officially takes effect, thereby fulfilling a campaign promise made by President Emmanuel Macron.