Portugal's government will defer regulations for euthanasia

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Portugal's Parliament

Natasha Donn reported for the Portugal Resident on November 24, that Portugal's government will defer implementing regulations for euthanasia until after the next election, scheduled for March 10, 2024.

According to the report by Donn:

health minister Manuel Pizarro has announced. Effectively dodging another ‘thorny’ issue (having already ditched talks with striking doctors, again because of the elections), the minister told Lusa that “the process of regulating the law is under development and will be an integral part of the transition dossier”.

The Portugal News reported on May 12 that Portugal's parliament overturned President de Sousa's veto of the euthanasia bill:

Parliament has today confirmed the decree on medically assisted death, which had been vetoed by the President of the Republic, with a total of 129 votes in favour, forcing its promulgation.

On March 31, The Portugal Resident reported that Portugal's Parliament passed a fourth euthanasia bill with two of the previous bills being declared unconstitutional by Portugal's Constitutional Court and a third bill being vetoed by President de Sousa. The current bill permitted assisted suicide, but persons with disabilities who would have difficulty self-administering assisted suicide could die by euthanasia.