The Portuguese parliament voted yesterday to pass the law on euthanasia for people in excruciating suffering and incurable diseases. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is expected to enact the law, which he sent back 4 times before, within a week.
Isabel Moreira, Member of Parliament for the Portuguese Socialist Party and advocate of the law, “We approve a law that has already been passed several times by a large majority” made the statement. The Socialist Party wanted the law to pass the parliament. “After several years of work in Parliament, the law regulating medically assisted death was approved by the Assembly of the Republic today”made the statement.
According to the law, which was sent to President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa 4 times by the Portuguese parliament and was returned each time, it was stated that people over the age of 18 would be allowed to seek medical assistance if they were terminally ill and in excruciating pain. Other countries where euthanasia is legal include Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and Australia.
