European countries vary on euthanasia; Spain legalized it after public outcry, while Hungary faces debate despite high support.
[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]
Spanish public opinion is highly sensitive to cases of voluntary euthanasia, exemplified by the struggle of María José Carrasco and her family over years regarding euthanasia for her suffering from multiple sclerosis. Despite her persistent wishes, Spanish law did not permit it until her husband administered a lethal dose in 2019 after she became too weak to self-administer. This event deeply affected public opinion. Although authorities initially prosecuted the husband, this outcry led to Spain passing legislation legalizing euthanasia in June 2021, which also pardoned him. The new law requires patients to confirm their intent four times and provide medical confirmation of irreversible decline, with a projected lifespan of no more than one year. Other countries have different approaches: Luxembourg decriminalized it in 2009; the Netherlands and Belgium allow it for severe illnesses since 2002 (Belgium extended rights to minors in 2014); France permits palliative care or passive euthanasia but not active euthanasia; Austria allows assisted suicide but not medically aided euthanasia, with strict procedural requirements; Portugal legalized it in 2023, while Germany and Italy are debating it. In Hungary, the case of Dániel Karsai highlighted legal challenges, as Hungarian law only permits decisions regarding life-sustaining treatment withdrawal, which is legally ambiguous. Despite public support for active euthanasia (62% according to a 2023 survey), lawmakers remain hesitant due to perceived societal immaturity.
