This week, the French National Assembly adopted for the third time a bill to legalize a right to “assisted dying” and rejected a conscience clause that would have protected private healthcare institutions from being forced to assist in suicide or euthanasia services.

The bill now goes to the Senate, which will likely strike it down once more, before returning to the National Assembly for a final, decisive vote on July 15.

Key Takeaways:

The National Assembly approved the text twice, in May 2025 and February 2026, but the Senate struck it down. It will now return to the Senate, and if rejected again as expected, the text will go to the National Assembly for a final vote.

French president Emmanuel Macron has made legalizing "assisted dying" a priority in his second term.

An amendment that would have protected private institutions from having to participate in assisted suicide procedures was rejected.

All attempts to place freedom of conscience guardrails around the legislation or to stop it have failed.

The Backstory:

In a vote of 295 to 232 on June 30, the National Assembly took one step closer to enshrining in the law the right to assisted suicide or euthanasia, which the bills refers to as “assisted dying,” a flagship promise for Macron’s second term. 

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The legislative body had already approved the text twice (the first time in May 2025 and the second in February 2026) but the Senate struck it down both times.

The current text should become the final version of the bill. If the Senate rejects it as expected, the text will return to the National Assembly for a final vote and can no longer be amended at that point. 

Opponents of the bill have tried several strategies over the past year to stop the legislation or, at the very least, place guardrails around it to protect the autonomy and freedom of conscience of individuals and institutions.  

But all attempts have failed.

The Details:

According to Camille Galliard-Minier, Minister for Autonomy and People with Disabilities, “[The aim is to] allow everyone, wherever they are, to benefit from this new right.”

During the most recent examinations of the bill, an amendment that would have protected private institutions from having to participate in assisted suicide procedures was rejected.

This means that Catholic and other religious institutions will be forced to assist in a person’s decision to intentionally end his or her life in direct violation of the institutions' right to religious freedom — and in contradiction to their faith and ethical beliefs. 

A portion of the conscience clause remains in the text but is limited to a medical professional’s right to refuse participation in assisted suicide procedures. That same individual, however, would still have to refer the patient to someone willing to assist in causing the person's death. 

As reported by The European Conservative, Bishop Matthieu Rougé of Nanterre decried this rejection of the amendment as an attack on freedom of conscience, religious freedom, and the autonomy of institutions.

The Bottom Line:

Protesters continue to pray that the National Assembly will vote down the bill on euthanasia. But it is probable that, on July 15, France will join other European countries who have legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide. 

The Bishop of Nanterre looks forward to a papal visit in September where he expects Pope Leo XIV to encourage Christians to continue serving the sick and the elderly despite facing such restrictive laws. 

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