(21 Feb 2020) Portugal’s parliament voted Thursday in favour of allowing euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill people. The landmark vote left Portugal poised to become one of the few countries in the world permitting the procedures.
However, the country's president could still attempt to block the legislation.
The 230-seat Republican Assembly, Portugal's parliament, approved five right-to-die bills, each by a comfortable margin.
Left-of-centre parties introduced the bills, which had no substantial differences.
Before lawmakers voted, hundreds of people outside parliament building protested the measures.
Inside the parliament building, underlining the historical weight of the moment, each lawmaker was called, in alphabetical order, to state their vote on each bill, instead of voting electronically.
Such a lengthy method is usually used only for landmark votes, such as a declaration of war or impeachment.
After the five bills passed, some lawmakers took photographs with their smartphone of the electronic screen on the wall announcing the results.
The bills were approved by margins of between 28 and 41 votes.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who is known to be reluctant about euthanasia, could veto the new law, but parliament can override his veto by voting a second time for approval.
The Portuguese president doesn't have executive powers.
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