11/29/2024

British Lawmakers Vote to Legalize Assisted Dying

This came after an emotional debate by its leaders

Lawmakers in Britain voted on Friday to allow assisted dying for terminally ill patients in England and Wales under strict conditions, opening the way to one of the most profound social changes in the country in decades.

After five hours of debate in the House of Commons, they voted by 330 to 275 to support a plan that would allow doctors to help patients with less than six months to live to end their lives.

The vote was not the final word on the legislation: It will now be scrutinized in parliamentary committees and amendments to the bill may be put forward. But it is a landmark political moment, setting the stage for a significant shift that some have likened to Britain's legalization of abortion in 1967 and the abolition of the death penalty in 1969.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The New York Times.