The founding members of the new parliamentary attempt for an assisted suicide law include four SPD members of parliament, three of whom, like Grau, are doctors themselves. Two of them have so far supported the liberal bill by Helling-Plahr and others.
The group has invited their parliamentary colleagues to an evening discussion in the Paul Löbe House of the Bundestag. They complain that neither of the two competing drafts in the summer was able to achieve a parliamentary majority and believe that legislation is urgently needed. Their proposal, which consists of 14 key points and is to be presented to the public on December 12, envisages an independent assisted suicide law with regulations “largely outside of criminal law”.
It is reported that the representatives of the failed drafts are open to talks with members of the Bundestag who did not vote in favor of their proposal, including representatives of this new initiative. However, according to information from the Humanist Association of Germany, it is proving extremely difficult to draw up a new draft bill that is as acceptable to a majority as possible. Although the new key points paper contains various proposals from the two previously competing bills, its acceptance in parliamentary circles is limited.
“It is true that the key issues paper sensibly provides for the expansion of psychosocial counseling centers. However, the newly announced protection concept with a high level of expertise for those willing to die while respecting their autonomy could also amount to a new edition of compulsory psychiatric counseling,” fears Gita Neumann, Medical Ethics Officer of the Humanist Association of Germany. In addition, the question must be asked as to what “largely outside of criminal law” could actually mean. The key issues paper provides for a more precise definition of the “commercial nature” of assisted suicide and advertising for it. Criminal law would then apply in both cases.
“As the Humanist Association of Germany, we are instead in favor of a new attempt by the group around Katrin Helling-Plahr, also involving the Federal Minister of Health,” says Gita Neumann, expressing her expectations.
