Euthanasia is a step closer to being legalised in Portugal, following elections that took place on October 6, which strengthened the three political parties favouring the measure.
The Socialist Party, the Left Bloc and PAN, an animal rights party, all increased their presence in parliament, at the expense of the Social Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Portuguese Communist Party. The communist votes were crucial to defeating a previous version of the bill voted on last May.
The left bloc announced on the very first day of the new parliament that it would be proposing a law to make euthanasia legal. Both pro- and anti-euthanasia advocates are certain that the law will pass, given the composition of the current parliament.
