14 DAY TRIAL // A French couple decided to protest France's take on legal euthanasia in a rather dramatic way. The elderly pair, Georgette and Bernard Cazes, both 86 years old, committed a double suicide in one of Paris' most romantic hotels.
After being married for almost 60 years, the couple decided to end their lives together, holding hands in one of their youth's favorite places, hotel Lutetia. The two, left behind a letter for the authorities demanding “the right to die in a dignified manner,” and explaining the fact that they considered society's view on the citizen's right to die wrong, according to Daily Mail.
The couple wanted to end their lives happy and together without being forced to suffer a painful death without having one another. In the letter, Mr. Cazes wrote “it was cruel” for society to restrain the citizen's freedom to choose to die when one wants.
The couple's son was aware of his parents plans and explained that they were “planning their deaths for years because they did not want to become a burden on their family, or the state.”
Euthanasia is banned in France and whoever wants to end their life with assisted suicide must travel to the neighboring countries like Belgium or Switzerland. Any form of euthanasia is currently illegal in France even if President Francois Hollande ordered a 6-month study on the problem of legal assisted suicide. The only step France has made in this direction was allowing sick people to decline extreme medical treatment.
Polls showing public opinion regarding legal euthanasia in France proved that up to 92 per cent of French citizens agree with legalizing assisted suicide for those suffering from incurable or terminal illnesses.
The couple's protest brought the issue of legalized euthanasia back on the public agenda. If positive measures towards legalizing assisted suicide are taken in France, the government risks protests from religious groups or opposing conservatives that strongly disagree with this kind of policies.