New Zealand legalizes euthanasia

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Euthanasia has been legal in New Zealand since Sunday, a year after 65 percent of voters voted for a law allowing assisted dying.

In October 2020, two-thirds of citizens who went to the referendum voted for the law that allows terminally ill people to request assisted dying.

Any terminally ill person with less than six months to live will be able to request euthanasia. Doctors must ensure that the patient is well-informed and that all other legal criteria are met.

The ACT Party, which submitted the bill to parliament, stated that the law provides choice, control, and compassion for those who suffer.

"From today, we have a more humane and compassionate society," said the party's deputy leader Brooke van Velden.

However, critics of the law fear that assisted dying could be misused to reduce healthcare costs and further exacerbate the issue of discrimination against Māori and other Pacific communities.

The Ministry of Health estimates that up to 950 people could request euthanasia annually, and that requests for up to 350 of them could be approved.