The bill on the end of life rejected in the third Commission.
The bill on end of life does not pass in the Third Commission. A delicate topic, “which involves broad ethical issues” – as Carlo Bolzonello, president of the Commission, defined it at the opening of the session – has triggered a broad debate between the councilors of the two poles but in the final vote there were no surprises with respect to the political positions expressed in recent months.
On the one hand the Opposition forces voted unitedly in favor of the popular initiative PDL 7the rule that regulates procedures and times for regional healthcare assistance for medically assisted suicide, highlighting the right toself-determination of people who find themselves in situations of profound suffering.
On the other, the centre-right, without distinction, rejected the rule by essentially contesting two argumentsi: the first relating to competence“which in this field must be exercised by the State” as suggested in particular by Andrea Cabibbo (FI) and Lucia Buna (Lega), and on the other the possible discrimination – evoked by Claudio Giacomelli of FdI – among patients with irreversible pathologies“because some would be guaranteed certain times for assisted suicide and others would not be given as many certainties regarding treatments, such as chemotherapy treatments or transplants”.
Those in favor.
It was above all Enrico Bullian (Pact for autonomy-Civica Fvg), already promoter of a motion on this topic last summer, who argued with an abundance of data and quotes the reasons for the “yes” to the bill, trying to bring his centre-right colleagues to his side and recalling how some municipal councils led by that political area, including Gorizia and Cormons, had already expressed themselves favorably on the PDL. “The citizen’s right – explained Bullian – contemplates a wide range of choices, from palliative care for medically assisted suicide. And with their signature on this popular initiative plan, many people have asked us politicians to intervene“.
One aspect, that of 7 thousand signatures collected in Fvg, also noted by Furio Honsell (Open Sinistra Fvg), who underlined “the explicit and manifest request of the citizens”, as well as Roberto Cosolini (Pd), who spoke of “spontaneous and almost enthusiastic adhesion to the proposed lawin times when sometimes it is difficult just to give people a leaflet”, inviting his centre-right colleagues “not to assert the party’s reasons on such a delicate topic”.
Also in favor of the PDL Rosaria Capozzi (M5S). “It is not a law that protects death, but the sacrosanct right to self-determination”, she said in the Five Star Movement, convinced that “this proposal puts the dignity of people first“. Simona Liguori (Patto-Civica), as a doctor, recalled the debate of twenty years ago, “when it seemed that even supportive care, in the case of people seriously ill with cancer, was a sentence to euthanasia”. Liguori is convinced that “the palliative care can do a lot, but not everything. And this care is not guaranteed uniformly across the territory, a situation that should be remedied.”
“When politics is absent, or fears taking a stand, it is replaced by the judiciary, as happened this time”, observed Serena Pellegrino (Avs), who recalled how “the same Constitutional Court urges Parliament to intervene“. “We cannot ignore – echoed Nicola Conficoni of the Democratic Party – the request from our community to take a step forward towards recognizing the full self-determination of the individual“.
The opposites.
The no side to the bill, which made its numbers count in the commission while awaiting the final vote on the PDL in the Chamber, is led as was said by the Giacomelli group leaders – who also referred to the “cultural battle” underlying this law – and Cabibbo, who focused on the opinion of the State Attorney’s Office.
The councilors of FdI and FI were supported by Maddalena Spagnolo (Lega), who reiterated that “the topic is already regulated by the ruling of the Constitutional Court of 2019″ and that “different regulation by the Regions is not permitted“, and by group colleague Lucia Buna, convinced that “with this bill we are going to promote death tourism, the competition for those who apply the least number of days possible to unplug”.
The intervention of Moreno Lirutti (Fedriga president): “I am against this PDL but I distinguish the purpose from the instrument: if we are talking about guaranteeing dignity at the end of life, in fact, who could possibly disagree? But the tool – insisted the Maggioranza councilor – is not good because uNo such right must be in the hands of the State: if twenty different Regions legislated, they would produce twenty different situations. What’s important is that Don’t think that those who vote against the PDL today don’t understand the gravity of this issue“.
The conclusions are summarizedThe Councilor for Health, Riccardo Riccardi, before the rapid examination of the article which re-proposed the wall to wall between the two political poles. “I won’t even go into the merits – said Riccardi – because we have to respect the order of things: this House has no right to arrogate this type of choice“. In the Chamber the report for the Majority will be presented by the president of the III Commission himself, Carlo Bolzonello, while the speakers from the Opposition will be Bullian, Cosolini and Pellegrino.
Do you want to remove national ads?
You can subscribe to only €1.10 per month by clicking here
Already a subscriber?
You can log in by going to the section Login from the site menu or by clicking here
