LUXEMBOURG (AFP) — The Luxembourg parliament on Thursday supported a controversial bill to legalise euthanasia, which the Catholic head of state, Grand Duke Henri, is refusing to back.

The move came shortly after Pope Benedict XVI spoke of his "deep concern" over the proposed law as he met with Luxembourg's new ambassador Paul Duhr at the Vatican.

"I would like to take the opportunity of our meeting to express my deep concern about the text of the law on euthanasia and assisted suicide currently being debated by (Luxembourg's) parliament," said the pope.
At the end of a five-hour debate, the Luxembourg deputies approved the bill by 31 to 26 with three abstentions.

Before Luxembourg can become the third EU country to allow some form of euthanasia, after Belgium and the Netherlands

With 31 to 26 votes in favour and 3 abstentions, the luxembourgish parliament legalizes the euthanasia bill.

10 December 2008

To Citizens, Politicians, & Statesmen of Luxembourg, & to the Media Worldwide

Dear Lydie Err
Dear Jean Huss
Dear Friends of ADMD Luxembourg

We want to offer our most heartfelt “Congratulations” to the Citizens, Politicians, & Statesmen of Luxembourg, who stood by their honest convictions when voting for the Err/Huss bill on 19 February 2008, & who will resolutely re-affirm next week the Err/Huss bill, voting it into law.

This bill expresses the ideals of all Right to Die Societies seeking self-determination in dying, while also furthering better palliative

The country faces a constitutional crisis as members of parliament hear of the Grand Duke’s decision not to sign the new law on euthanasia. The law on euthanasia was schedule to be voted, together with the law proposal for palliative care, on December 11th. After a first successful vote on February 19th, State Council had not exempted these two law proposals of a second vote, requested but often forfeited in less controversial questions.

Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, informed the press of his disagreement with the Grand-Duke, mentioning that for several weeks he had tried to dissuade the Grand Duke from this anti-constitutional move.

After the State of Oregon, Washington becomes the second State to pass a “Death with Digniy Act”.
Although, like Oregon’s “Death with Dignity Act”, I-1000 gives doctors the authority to prescribe a lethal dose of medications to terminally ill individuals under strict controls, it condemns to continued suffering as many as 40% of those who desperately want to end their life because of intolerable suffering but cannot do so under the law because their illness is not diagnosed as “terminal”.

Ted Goodwin, President of Final Exit Network said : “ There is much more to be done Unfortunately, many patients do not meet I-1000’s strict criteria.