Flemish Christian-democrats ready to discuss euthanasia for dementia patients

The Flemish Christian-democratic party CD&V is prepared to enter into a debate on euthanasia among demented people in Belgium. The party says this in response to a call from Open Vld (Flemish Liberals). "But it is more than just adding a sentence," Els Van Hoof (CD&V) says in De Morgen on Tuesday.

Belgian law only makes euthanasia possible when a person can ask for it fully consciously and mentally competent. Someone with dementia therefore has to make the decision early on in the progression of their illness. When dementia patients opt for euthanasia in Belgium, this is often accompanied by a political discussion about the extension of the euthanasia law. A well-known example is the death of Belgian writer Hugo Claus, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease and requested euthanasia in 2008 at the age of 78.

In principle, there is support in the Belgian federal government for such an expansion. However, during the governmental talks in 2020, the most conservative coalition party CD&V demanded a right of veto in ethical dossiers. This means that if anyone wants to amend the abortion or euthanasia rules, they must first find unanimity in the government. Since then, little has moved.

Robby De Caluwé, Katja Gabriëls and Jean-Jacques De Gucht (Open Vld) now hope to eliminate the shortcomings in the euthanasia law, supported by Vooruit (Flemish socialists) and others. They focus on all brain disorders that can cause people to lose consciousness, such as brain cancers or strokes. If patients have signed a living will beforehand in which they declare that they request euthanasia if they become incapacitated, this should be possible.

CD&V Chairman Joachim Coens is now saying that his party wants to discuss the matter. However, the government must first appoint a scientific committee to make substantive recommendations for improving the legislation. "Not to obstruct the discussion, but to bring nuance to it. Because it is more than just adding a sentence", says member of parliament Els Van Hoof. "Within a year, those recommendations can be on the table."

The approach is met with scepticism among those in favour of expanding the euthanasia law. "It seems more like a delaying tactic than anything else," says Professor Wim Distelmans, professor of palliative medicine at the Free University of Brussels (VUB) and advocate for the right to euthanasia.

(KOR)

Belgian Member of Parliament Els Van Hoof © BELGA PHOTO HATIM KAGHAT