In the wake of several months of testimony from doctors and experts in medical ethics, a Belgian Senate committee will on June 12 examine the possible extension of the country’s euthanasia law to include children.
“On both sides of the linguistic border, liberals and socialists appear to agree on the fact that age should not be regarded as a decisive criteria in the event of a request for euthanasia,” notes De Morgen. They want doctors to decide on a minor’s capacity for discernment on a case by case basis.
The daily points out that the Christian Democrats may not approve the change, but the Flemish nationalists of the N-VA have said they are ready to vote in favour of the proposal to ensure that it is backed by a majority.
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