Anti-euthanasia vote welcomed

Catholic campaigners have welcomed the failure of a pro-euthanasia declaration in the European Parliament, after it gained support from only 95 of the 751 MEPs, write Jonathan Luxmoore and Peter Kavanagh.

“It’s clear the pro-euthanasia lobby is starting to work actively in the European Parliament,” said Antoine Renard, president of the Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe. The declaration called for all Europeans in “an advanced or terminal phase of an incurable illness, causing unbearable suffering” to have access to “medical assistance to end their life with dignity”.

Meanwhile Canada’s Supreme Court acceded to a government request asking for more time to draft laws in accordance with a pro-assisted dying ruling by the court last February.