French lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday in favour of a law allowing medics to place terminally ill patients into a deep sleep until they die.
The law, which has re-ignited the deeply divisive debate about euthanasia, also makes "living wills" - drafted by people who do not want to be kept alive artificially if they are too ill to decide - legally binding on doctors.
"Sleep before death to avoid suffering," said MP Jean Leonetti, summing up the law he proposed.The law was passed by 436 votes to 34 in parliament. Comments to taglines82@gmail.com
