Spain's Parliament votes to legalise euthanasia and assisted suicide

This law has sparked a whole lot of controversy among politicians. After much deliberation, and as expected, said law received the majority of votes necessary for it to be approved, and will now be taken to the Senate.

Who can request euthanasia?

The new law allows anyone who is a Spanish citizen or legally resides in Spain to request euthanasia. Of course, they would also have to be of legal age and be fit to make such a decision.

In addition to these pre-requisites, any patient requesting euthanasia must voluntarily fill out all the forms necessary to make their consent clear, and the doctor must verify that they suffer from a serious and incurable or chronic and debilitating illness.

The patient will also have 10 days to ponder their decision. Furthermore, each autonomous community will have an Evaluation and Monitoring Commission make a series of two assessments.

The provision of aid to die will be carried out in a public, private or subsidized health center or at the applicant's home.

Although this law did get majority support, there is still strong opposition to it. PP, Vox, and the Navarrese People's Union have voiced their disapproval of it, as did the UN's Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which frowns upon the legalization of euthanasia, although this law does not speak of disabled people, but rather 'intolerable suffering that can cause incapacitation.'