In France, assisted suicide is the law. The ban on the use of social media for under 15s has been rejected

In France the highest French constitutional authority has fully approved the law which grants adults suffering from incurable diseases the right to assisted suicidewhile specifying that some provisions require clarification.

With the approval of the Constitutional Council, France will join the small circle of countries that allow assisted suicide, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada and Uruguay.

France: the Constitutional Court overturns the ban on the use of social media for under 15s

The Constitutional Court instead annulled the ban on the use of social media for children under 15, deeming it a “disproportionate violation” of their freedom of expression. The Court ruled that Article 1 of the law, aimed at protecting minors from the risks arising from the use of social media, “restricts the freedom of expression and communication of minors under 15 in an inappropriate, necessary and proportionate manner”. Having been called upon to rule only on Article 1, the highest French judicial authority did not rule on the ban on the use of mobile phones in high schools, included in the same law.

Victory for President Macron on assisted suicide

The ruling represents a victory for President Emmanuel Macron, who promised such a law when he was re-elected for a second term in 2022. To be eligible for assisted suicide, the patient must be an adult, a French citizen or a long-time resident. It must also suffer from pain that does not respond to treatment or which, in your opinion, is unbearable if you choose not to undergo or stop treatment.

The final decision rests with the doctor

It is the doctor’s responsibility to verify the patient’s eligibility before a panel assesses whether the criteria have been met. The final decision rests with the doctor, who can revoke consent at any time. The patient the lethal substance will be administered independentlywith exceptions for those who are physically unable to do so and can be assisted by a healthcare professional.

While confirming the validity of the law, the Council deemed certain clarifications necessary, including the so-called conscientious objection clausewhich allows the health workers to refuse to participate in the procedure. The clause must also apply to private health facilities where assisted suicide is “manifestly contrary” to their mission, provided they are not the only facilities capable of meeting “local needs”, the constitutional authority said.