Decriminalization of euthanasia approved by specialty votes against Chega and PCP

The vote on the text in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees had votes in favor of PS, IL and BE.

In the parliamentary committee, Social Democrat MP Paula Cardoso also asked the MPs present at the vote to postpone for a week due to the fact that an extraordinary conference of leaders is scheduled for this Wednesday afternoon to discuss the draft parliamentary resolution. PSD proposes to hold a referendum on the decriminalization of euthanasia, but this call was opposed by PS, BE and the Liberal Initiative.

The final text, based on the bills submitted by PS, IL, BE and PAN, is now sent to the final global vote due on Friday in plenary.

During the debate in the committee, following the call of the PSD to postpone the vote for a week and the opposition shown by the PS, BE and IL, the chairman of the 1st committee, Fernando Negrao, stated that “for a delay to happen at this time”, already after three, “there must be unanimity “. As it was “common and common knowledge” that there was no such unanimity, MPs immediately proceeded to vote on the replacement text.

After the endorsement, Social Democrat MP Paula Cardoso justified her abstention by the freedom of voice granted to SDP MPs when voting on the issue, leaving it up to “every man to vote according to his own conscience”.

From the PS, MP Isabel Moreira thanked the coordinator of the working group on euthanasia, the socialist María Antonia de Almeida Santos and the services of the Parliament, as well as all the MPs representing the various parliamentary groups, namely the PSD, for his “impeccable work”.

MP Patricia Gilvaz of the Liberal Initiative praised the fact that the process was “thoughtful and participatory” in which several individuals were heard.

“In our opinion, this final text answers the doubts expressed by the President of the Republic during the previous process, and also accepts the recommendations of the Constitutional Court,” he defended.

Divided by the services and elements of the working group was BE parliamentary leader Pedro Filipe Soares, who stated that “the debate was high” and that “the working group lived up to the historic moment that was required of it.” “.

Considering that the new text meets the TC and the doubts expressed by Marcelo Rebelo de Souza, the blogger was satisfied with the process and its result: “We are satisfied with the process, the text and we understand that it will make a good law, human law, constitutional law, and it will expand rights, which our citizens have at their disposal, and does it reasonably and prudently,” he said.

By Chega, parliamentary leader Pedro Pinto spoke out against the approval of the text and said he would wait to see what the President of the Republic or the TC would do.

Alma Rivera of the PKP also reiterated the PKP’s stance against the issue, stating that it is not a “Manichaean position” and “mainly has to do with the social consequences of endorsing this text, especially for those who are most vulnerable.” more isolated and more difficult groups, namely in accessing health care and social support.”

The text establishes that “non-punishable medically assisted death” occurs “by the decision of an older person, whose will is current and repeated, serious, free and clear, in a situation of great suffering, with a final injury of extreme severity or a serious and incurable disease, if practiced or medical professionals help.

This time, compared to the previous decree, the replacement text does not require a “deadly disease”.

The final text now establishes a minimum period of two months from the beginning of the procedure for its completion, with the mandatory provision of psychological support as well.

In the previous legislature, the decriminalization under certain conditions of violent death, the amendment of the Penal Code, garnered an overwhelming majority in Parliament, but was subject to two vetoes by the President of the Republic: the first time since the Constitutional Court failed after Marcelo Rebelo de Souza’s request for an inspection.

The second time, on November 26, the president rejected the diploma by political veto, emphasizing that the whole new text used different expressions to define the type of diseases required and defending that the legislator should choose between “only serious disease”, “serious and incurable disease” and “an incurable and fatal disease.”