IS NEW DUTCH GOVERNMENT SHUNNING EUTHANASIA?
A Dutch politician has complained that his country’s new government plans to create viable alternatives to abortion and euthanasia. The leader of the Liberal party, Mark Rutte, complains that the coalition wants to urge pregnant women to consider adoption as an alternative for abortion. He says that adoption can be psychologically harmful for the child and its mother. He also fears that the government will try to make euthanasia superfluous by supporting palliative care as full-fledged alternative. Rutte claims euthanasia should remain an “independent alternative” in situations of unbearable and untreatable suffering.
Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.
Latest posts by Michael Cook (see all)
- How long can you put off seeing the doctor because of lockdowns? - December 3, 2021
- House of Lords debates assisted suicide—again - October 28, 2021
- Spanish government tries to restrict conscientious objection - October 28, 2021
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