Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535229
KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt 8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 MAY 2025 ANALYSIS Voluntary euthanasia: A mature debate or a political minefield? The consultation document issued by Malta's Labour government is modelled on the Assisted Dying Bill introduced by UK Labour MP Kim Leadbeater at Westminster. James Debono asks whether Malta will have the same nuanced debate as the UK. BOTH the UK's Assisted Dying Bill and Malta's proposed legislation to introduce assisted euthanasia focus on granting ter- minally ill adults the right to voluntarily end their lives under strict safeguards. Each requires that the individual be men- tally competent, over 18, and diagnosed with a terminal illness likely to lead to death within six months. Both proposals emphasise voluntary consent, medical as- sessments, and legal oversight to prevent abuse. They aim to provide dignity in dy- ing while protecting vulnerable people. But one notable difference is that, while the UK legislation is being piloted by an individual MP through a private member's bill, the Maltese law will eventually be put forward by the government itself, follow- ing a public consultation. Free vote or party whip? The UK method—a private member's bill—is more conducive to garnering cross-party consensus beyond entrenched polarities. The second reading of the bill was approved by 330 votes to 275 in a free vote. A majority of Labour MPs supported the bill, with 233 voting in favour and 147 against. On the Conservative side, 23 out of 121 MPs voted in favour. Yet, leaving the matter in the hands of MPs risks prolonging the debate. In fact, amidst conflicting amendments at the committee stage, a vote on the final third reading of the UK bill, scheduled for 25 April, has been postponed to 16 May, amid growing uncertainty about whether the fi- nal draft will garner a majority. It is also worth noting that most of those who voted against the bill in the UK insist- ed they were not ideologically opposed to it but wanted greater safeguards. These in- cluded Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who described giving people control over how they die as "a sacred thing". On the oth- er side of the spectrum, Health Secretary Wes Streeting voiced opposition, citing concerns about the adequacy of palliative care and the potential risks of coercion, particularly for elderly people feeling pres- sured by family expectations. In contrast, the reform in Malta is grounded in Labour's 2022 electoral man- ifesto. The party had pledged "a national, mature discussion on the introduction of voluntary euthanasia for terminally ill pa- tients." Whether this constitutes a man- date to approve the law in this legislature is arguable, but it certainly gives Labour a full mandate to issue the consultation doc- ument. This method also ensures that the text discussed in parliament will already include changes proposed by civil society and experts. The PN's dilemma It remains to be seen whether any res- ervations will be expressed within the La- bour parliamentary group. But judging by the party's united stance on other progres- sive and even less popular reforms in re- cent years, this seems unlikely. This could pose a poisoned chalice to the opposition, which will face four choices: An ideolog- ically motivated 'no'; full endorsement; partial endorsement with amendments; or a free vote. All four options are prob- lematic for a party whose electorate is split between a conservative majority and a so- cially liberal minority. Yet, if the PN adopts a contrarian stance based on the premise that life should be protected from conception to death, it risks being out of sync with public opinion. A Sunday Times poll conducted last year showed that 62% of Maltese people believe doctors should be allowed to assist termi- nally ill patients in ending their lives—up from 53% in a 2016 MaltaToday survey. The PN may also opt for a stricter ver- sion of the law even though the proposed legislation is already restrictive since it limits the choice for assisted dying to ter- minally ill people with six months to live. Tightening it further risks rendering the law ineffective. As proposed, the law could exclude people with degenerative diseases who will only have the choice to end their life in their final six months when it will probably be too late for them to provide informed consent. Another option for the PN is to engage in minor amendments to strengthen safe- guards against abuse while effectively supporting the bill. Whether this will be acceptable to all MPs, particularly those who would see this as a betrayal of their principles remains to be seen. Another possibility is that the party may choose to sidestep the issue by allowing a free vote. This could be justified on the grounds that it respects MPs' consciences on a matter that transcends partisan poli- tics. But in the absence of a united stance, individual PN MPs who vote for the bill may be left at the mercy of constituents— particularly grassroots supporters, who expect the party to toe the line set by the church and increasingly vocal lay organi- sations such as the Life Network Founda- tion. And while a free vote would send a message of inclusion to voters who aspire for a change in government but are turned off by the PN's conservatism, it remains to be seen whether PN MPs will risk a fall out with more conservative constituents who may be a minority in the country but a ma- jority in the PN. PN holding internal discussions on assisted suicide proposal THE Nationalist Party will declare an of- ficial position on government's proposal to introduce the right to assisted suicide after internal discussions are completed this week. The PN kicked off the discussion within its internal structures last week and these will continue in the coming days, a party spokesperson told MaltaToday. "No comments will be given until these discussions are over, after which the par- ty will declare its official position," the spokesperson said. The PN parliamentary group is expect- ed to discuss the issue on Tuesday with sources telling MaltaToday, MPs have di- vergent views on the matter. "There are MPs who agree with assist- ed dying, others are opposed, and a good number are sitting on the fence," the sources said, adding it was reasonable to have mixed views on an sensitive issue like euthanasia. PN MPs are likely to face pressure from their more conservative constituents to oppose euthanasia, in line with the Catholic Church's stand. However, those looking at the party statute to reinforce their religious views are unlikely to find solace. The PN statute speaks of a party com- mitted to ensure "everyone grows and enjoys wellbeing, from conception to the last breath… within a family built on love…". While the reference to "concep- tion" has been historically interpreted as impeding the PN from taking a pro-abor- tion stance, the reference to "last breath" and not 'natural death' allows for a wider interpretation when dealing with issues like assisted dying. Nonetheless, in the absence of adopting a favourable stance, the party may also opt to give its MPs a free vote in parliament like it had done on divorce legislation in 2011. In this way, MPs will be allowed to vote according to their conscience. Reforms Parliamentary Secretary Re- becca Buttigieg released a consultation document that proposes the legalisation of voluntary assisted dying for adult ter- minally ill patients who have been given a life expectancy of six months.