The legislative saga on assisted dying has reached a painful turning point. On Wednesday, January 28, 2026, the upper house overwhelmingly rejected the bill after particularly tense debates that distorted the initial draft.

A "phantom text" emptied of its substance

Although the text had been adopted by MPs in the spring of 2025, it was effectively "sabotaged" at the Luxembourg Palace. The conservative wing (LR and centrists) methodically removed the pillars of the reform, notably the provisions for assisted suicide and euthanasia .

This overall rejection (181 votes against, 122 for) resulted from a paradoxical alliance:

1. The left , which rejects a version "emptied of its meaning" and wishes to return to the original text.
2. Part of the right wing , opposed in principle to any legislative changes on the subject.

Return to the Assembly as early as February

In accordance with the Constitution, the National Assembly will arbitrate the conflict.

1. Timetable: Resumption of debates in second reading from February 16th .
2. Objective: A final vote hoped for by Yaël Braun-Pivet "before the summer" .
3. The challenge: To reinstate the key measures of this promise from Emmanuel Macron's second five-year term.

Towards a consensus on palliative care?

While assisted dying is a divisive issue, a second text has garnered unanimous support. Focusing specifically on palliative care , it was overwhelmingly adopted by the Senate.

What he plans:

1. A national strategy for the deployment of healthcare.
2. The creation of dedicated "support homes".
3. A possible swift agreement between the two chambers on this consensual aspect.