Comparing the Decriminalisation of Assisted Dying in Europe

Abstract

Abstract Assisted dying is subject to markedly different laws in different European countries, and the legislation is rapidly changing in many of them. This article seeks to enhance our understanding of how public and health-care professionals’ opinions shape assisted dying legislation in Europe. To that end, data on the attitudes of the general public as well as health-care professionals was systematically collected, analysed and compared to the legal situation in seven European countries, covering the period from 1990 until 2021.