They expected satisfaction. Not to obtain satisfaction so quickly… Emmanuel Macron chose not to leave the 184 members of the citizens’ convention on the end of life, the creation of which he announced on September 13, 2022, waiting long. No sooner had they delivered their final report on Sunday April 2 than they set off for the Elysée, Monday morning April 3. The Head of State received them in the presence of the ministers concerned – François Braun, Agnès Firmin Le Bodo and Olivier Véran –, the President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council Thierry Beaudet, organizer of the work of the convention for twenty-seven days , from December to April.
The objective of the reception under the paneling of the presidential palace: to allow the Head of State to assert and know the great concern he has for these citizens drawn by lot. In his speech, he emphasized “the seriousness, a sense of responsibility and an intellectual rigor that [les] honor » to better regret the excesses in Parliament, in his eyes, to which the examination of the pension reform gave rise.
To promote them, he above all wanted to provide them with immediate answers. The members of the convention first presented to the Head of State – by the voice of two of them – the key ideas of their report. To spare the French people the ordeals of the end of life that many of them have to go through, they warn first of all about the need to develop access to palliative care, intended to soothe the pain and suffering of the incurably ill.
The members of the convention are also in favor (76%) of an openness under certain conditions to the legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia for patients suffering from refractory pain who would request active assistance in dying.
“dizzying question”
Faced with the first subject, the Head of State announced that he would launch “a ten-year national plan for pain management and palliative care, with the necessary investments”. “That is the first pillar”, he added. The plan could go so far as to set a threshold of beds reserved for palliative care in each territory. It should allow more widespread palliative care at home, and develop the training of health professionals. The President of the Republic also insisted on his desire to better support carers with loved ones who are losing their autonomy. Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, Minister Delegate in charge of Territorial Organization and Health Professions is working on this ten-year strategy.
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