"Slovenia is voting on whether to legalise assisted dying for some terminally ill adults after other European countries have made the change. The parliament of the small European Union nation passed a euthanasia bill in July, but a citizens initiative, led by right-wing politician Ales Primc, forced the referendum on Sunday. The law will be rejected if at least 20 percent of participating voters oppose the bill. Slovenia has an electorate of 1.69 million people."
"Under the disputed law, which was set to take effect this year, lucid but terminally ill patients would have had the right to die if their suffering had become unbearable and all other treatment options had been exhausted. The legislation is similar to the assisted dying bill passed by the United Kingdom Parliament in June. Britain's bill allows assisted suicide for terminally ill adults with less than six months to live, the approvals of two doctors, judicial oversight and self-administration of the medication."
Slovenia faces a referendum on legalising assisted dying for some terminally ill adults after parliament passed a euthanasia bill in July and a citizens' initiative forced the vote. The law would allow lucid, terminally ill patients to end their lives when suffering becomes unbearable and all treatment options are exhausted, with approvals from two doctors, cooling-off periods, and self-administration of medication. The measure would be rejected if at least 20 percent of participating voters oppose it. Polls show roughly 54 percent support, 31 percent oppose and 15 percent undecided. Several European countries already permit assisted dying.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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