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Belgians ‘agree with child euthanasia’
As the senate’s joint justice and social affairs committees prepare to resume their debate on the possible extension of the 2002 law on euthanasia to children, an opinion poll conducted by Dedicated Research, RTBF and La Libre today reveals that 75% of the Belgian population agrees with euthanasia being applied to minors even without their consent. In total, 38% claim to be "very favourable" and 36% "somewhat in favour" of a law allowing euthanasia to be carried out on minors suffering from incurable diseases, especially children who are no longer able to give their consent. The Flemish (40% are a bit more assumed that Brussels (37%) and especially the Walloons (34%). The idea is slightly more popular in Flanders (40% “very much in favour”) than in Brussels (37%) and Wallonia (34%). The findings of the poll suggest that Belgians go further than politicians on the subject; senators are to debate the extension of the law to minors "capable of discernment" only. The survey also found that 79% of Belgians are in favour of extending the law to adults with dementia, Alzheimer's disease or severe vascular dementia. The survey was conducted over the internet using a sample of 2,714 Belgian voters.
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WTF?
Unbelievable. Belgium is going to extend "euthanasia" to people who, by the definition in the proposed law itself, can not possibly give their consent, notably very sick children and adults with severe dementia. Instead of pouring resources and effort into making the lives of these fragile people and their families as comfortable and joyful as possible, the Belgian solution is to kill them. What an utterly depressing thing it is to live in a country where there is no trace of love or appreciation for the most vulnerable people. And I know Belgian doctors are gods and used to being obeyed without question, but is any pair of doctors really qualified to advise (or in practice decide) whether someone has a prospect of a life that will be worth living. I have known many many wrongful predictions of this nature made by doctors. I hope other countries considering introducing euthanasia laws will watch Belgium closely to see how, once killing people is at all legal, it can gradually become more and more acceptable. Horrible to know that the smiling friendly Belgian people I see every day would want me or my child to die if we weren't strong and healthy enough for them.