Umbria approves law on medically assisted suicide — ANSA English

The Legislative Assembly of Umbria in Italy has approved a law on medically assisted suicide. The region became the fifth in the country to adopt such a regulation, ANSA English reports.

Law introduced through a citizens’ initiative

The Legislative Assembly backed a bill submitted as part of a citizens’ initiative. Its title provides for regional healthcare assistance for the voluntary ending of life with medical assistance through the self-administration of a lethal drug.

The voting results in the chamber were met with prolonged applause. President Stefania Proietti did not take part in the vote.

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Situation in other regions

A month earlier, Veneto adopted a law regulating end-of-life issues. Before that, relevant acts had been approved by Tuscany, Sardinia and Emilia-Romagna. Veneto became the first region with a centre-right administration to adopt such a decision.

The Luca Coscioni Association, which advocates for the right to die, helped several people resort to assisted suicide in Italy after the country’s Supreme Court ruling in 2019. The court recognized assisted suicide as legal in certain cases, set strict criteria for its permissibility and called on parliament to close the legislative gap on end-of-life issues. Before that, the association transported terminally ill people who wished to end their lives to the Dignitas clinic near Zurich. At the national level, parliament has still not closed the legislative gap.