# Spanish parliament approves euthanasia law



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

201 votes for, 140 against (PP and Vox). Good news in my opinion!



> Spain’s parliament has endorsed an effort by the new Socialist-led government to legalize euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide.
> 
> After early elections twice last year thwarted the Socialist party’s attempts to change the law, parliament voted Tuesday by 201 votes to 140 in favor of accepting its euthanasia bill for consideration.
> 
> The step puts the bill on a path to possible approval. It now goes to a parliamentary health committee for discussion and then heads to the Senate before returning to the lower house for a final vote.


https://apnews.com/2ec4efd41a47439c502eb869b6edf4a5


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

One step closer to the 21st century!!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Overandout said:


> One step closer to the 21st century!!


Leading the way in fact. At the moment I believe it ¡s only legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, Colombia, Luxembourg, and Canada.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Good stuff.


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## Tigerlillie (Apr 7, 2015)

Alcalaina said:


> Leading the way in fact. At the moment I believe it ¡s only legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, Colombia, Luxembourg, and Canada.


Assisted suicide (dying) is also legal in some other countries as well as those you have noted:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_euthanasia#/media/File:Legality_of_euthanasia.svg


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## Monkey104 (Aug 24, 2014)

Just don’t tell my wife!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

> Spain’s parliament has endorsed an effort by the new Socialist-led government to legalize euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide.
> 
> After early elections twice last year thwarted the Socialist party’s attempts to change the law, parliament voted Tuesday by 201 votes to 140 in favor of accepting its euthanasia bill for consideration.
> 
> The step puts the bill on a path to possible approval. It now goes to a parliamentary health committee for discussion and then heads to the Senate before returning to the lower house for a final vote.


But it hasn't been approved, has it? Just gone on to a further stage


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Julie Walters starred in a tv film about a woman who went to Switzerland in order to carry out her wish for euthanasia. It's called_ A short stay in Switzerland. _A harrowing true story


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Also the Amanobar film "Mar Adentro" was based on a true story.


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## MataMata (Nov 30, 2008)

With the obvious safeguards I'm 100% in favour of end of life choices.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Often, when I hear of someone clearly suffering and no cure nor simple way of alleviating the suffering, find myself saying ''You wouldn't do that to a dog''. 

IMO it's simply inhumane to keep someone alive just for the sake of it, if they are in that situation & have had enough.


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## Tigerlillie (Apr 7, 2015)

xabiaxica said:


> Often, when I hear of someone clearly suffering and no cure nor simple way of alleviating the suffering, find myself saying ''You wouldn't do that to a dog''.
> 
> IMO *it's simply inhumane to keep someone alive just for the sake of it*, if they are in that situation & have had enough.


I totally agree with you, if someone has a terminal illness and their quality of life is non existent and they are suffering then they should be allowed to make the choice to end their life in dignity not be kept alive for the selfish reasons of their family.
Both my father and my grandfather died of cancer and in the last few weeks of my grandfather's life he begged me to help him because he couldn't take anymore.
It broke my heart to see him like that and if I could've helped him I would have.


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Tigerlillie said:


> Assisted suicide (dying) is also legal in some other countries as well as those you have noted:
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_euthanasia#/media/File:Legality_of_euthanasia.svg


The source is unfortunately unreliable, for example it won't be legal in Western Australia until 2021 (and anything could happen between now and then, especially when you consider that the Australian Federal Government has in the past been able to overturn State laws on euthanasia).


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## Aloud (Feb 15, 2020)

xabiaxica said:


> Often, when I hear of someone clearly suffering and no cure nor simple way of alleviating the suffering, find myself saying ''You wouldn't do that to a dog''.
> 
> IMO *it's simply inhumane to keep someone alive just for the sake of it*, if they are in that situation & have had enough.


Indeed. And in the wider scheme of things I think people generally are 'being kept alive longer' rather than 'living longer' (the much used excuse for wanting put retirement age up to 75). 

Without going into too many details a family member spent 7 years living like a 'cabbage' in care facilities, a well looked after cardiovascular system saw to this, even though the mind had totally gone. 
Still, it was aged 87 that went on the death certificate and into the longevity statistics.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Not unpredictably, the far-right parties (Vox and PP) are claiming that the ruling coalition want to pass this measure in order to save money on pensions and health care.

One can only hope that none of them are ever in a position where they need to resort to it themselves ...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Not unpredictably, the far-right parties (Vox and PP) are claiming that the ruling coalition want to pass this measure in order to save money on pensions and health care.
> 
> One can only hope that none of them are ever in a position where they need to resort to it themselves ...


Ha! Just beat me to it!


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## fortrose52 (Nov 29, 2018)

watched my husband dying for months in pain a year ago. Same with my 99 year old mum with dementia in care home. Non-existent quality of ife. Her funeral was last week. Yes, we were also saying you would not do this to a dog or a horse


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

*Spanish Congress approves first step toward a euthanasia law*



> With 201 votes in favor, 140 against – from the conservative Popular Party (PP) and the far-right Vox – and two abstentions, Congress agreed to consider the initiative, which will now enter a period of amendments and go to the congressional Health Committee for negotiations.


https://english.elpais.com/society/...roves-first-step-toward-a-euthanasia-law.html


It seems it may be approved in June


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Aloud said:


> Indeed. And in the wider scheme of things I think people generally are 'being kept alive longer' rather than 'living longer' (the much used excuse for wanting put retirement age up to 75).
> 
> Without going into too many details a family member spent 7 years living like a 'cabbage' in care facilities, a well looked after cardiovascular system saw to this, even though the mind had totally gone.
> Still, it was aged 87 that went on the death certificate and into the longevity statistics.


Not wise to use the description of cabbage. A Labour MP has had their hand slapped this week for calling a patient a vegetable


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

fortrose52 said:


> watched my husband dying for months in pain a year ago. Same with my 99 year old mum with dementia in care home. Non-existent quality of ife. Her funeral was last week. Yes, we were also saying you would not do this to a dog or a horse


I understand, in the last couple of weeks of my Mum’s life I used to wish she had gone in her sleep but felt guilty too. My cousins Husband spent 8 years in care with Alzheimer’s, finally doubly incontinent and lost the power of speech.

However, I would not like to be the one to decide to pull the plug!


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

*Why shouldn't Euthanasia mimic Science Fiction *

There's a number of Science fiction books and films where the advanced civilisations or humaniod aliens
have Euthanasia as the centre piece of their way of life.

The most obvious example in Science Fiction films is Logan's Run - Carousel where they get vapourized.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Assisted dying because your life has become unbearable is hardly the same as culling the elderly because the world is overpopulated.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Isobella said:


> However, I would not like to be the one to decide to pull the plug!


I wouldn't like it, but I would do it. Like other forum members I had to watch a loved one suffering for months (my Dad, in my case) who begged me to help him die and I felt guilty and helpless because I could do nothing. I wished desperately I could have given him a pill or something to drink and he could have died peacefully, I would have regarded it as an act of love and the last thing I could have done for him.


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