News

Parliament this week voted against four separate bills to decriminalise euthanasia in Portugal.

Law decree proposals presented by the ruling Socialists, along with their leftist alliance partners PAN, Left Bloc and the Greens all fell short of gaining the required 115 favourable votes for euthanasia to be legal in the country.

Despite losing the vote, those in favour of euthanasia have pledged to raise the topic in the next legislative period which starts in 2019, saying the close vote means the debate should not be closed on the matter.

Previously, Portugal legalised abortions in 2007 before allowing same-sex marriage in 2010, becoming only the eighth country in the world at the time to permit gay unions.