Twelve years after legalizing euthanasia for adults, Belgium’s parliament extended the right to die to terminally ill children of any age Thursday, despite opposition from the Church and some pediatricians. Months of heated debate at the House of Representatives led to a vote of 86-44. A socialist legislator said, “It is not a question of imposing euthanasia on anyone…but of allowing a child not to agonize in pain.” The law offers the possibility of euthanasia to children “in a hopeless medical situation of constant and unbearable suffering that cannot be eased and which will cause death in the short-term.” Belgian bishops said the vote went “a step too far,” expressing fears that the legislation would “open the way to handicapped people, people with dementia, the mentally ill or those who are tired of living” to seek mercy-killing.
Read the full story on Rappler.
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.