The Slovenian people are called to decide by referendum, Sunday 23 November, on the legalization of assisted suicide. The question asked of the Slovenian people was: “Do you support the entry into force of the law on end-of-life assistance, approved by Parliament on 24 July 2025? ». Based on near-final results covering 99.8% of ballots counted, published by the Central Election Commission, about 53% of voters rejected the implementation of this law, while 47% voted in favor.
The law was actually adopted after the first referendum in July 2024 in which 55% of voters expressed support for assisted suicide. This agreement provides for the right to conscious and incurable patients, whose suffering or health condition is unbearable, to end their lives, excluding cases of mental illness. However, the text does not permit euthanasia, that is, death caused by a care provider at the request of the patient.
This outcome means implementation will be suspended for at least a year. However, this does not mean completely eliminating the possibility of assisted suicide in this country of 2.1 million people. Parliament will be able to vote again on new draft laws after 12 months.
Mobilization of the Catholic Church and conservative opposition
But a civic group, backed by the Catholic Church and the conservative opposition, managed to gather the 40,000 signatures needed to block implementation of the text, which they accused of allowing “poisoning of sick and elderly people”and holding a new referendum.
Liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob encouraged the Slovenian public to support the law. “Each of us must be able to decide for ourselves how and with what dignity we end our lives.”he said on Wednesday, during his initial vote in Ljubljana. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church criticized the law “which is contrary to the Bible, natural law and human dignity”.
Some European countries have allowed people whose illnesses are at a terminal stage to seek medical assistance to end their lives. Slovenia will join them this fall. Among European countries, in addition to Switzerland and Austria that practice assisted suicide, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg legalize euthanasia, while French deputies agreed at the end of May when first reading the creation of the right to assisted death. President Emmanuel Macron raised the possibility of a referendum if it occurs“trapped” parliamentary.
