The Portuguese parliament approved yesterday, Friday, a controversial bill that decriminalizes euthanasia and became the 5th European country – after Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, to legalize the killing of a patient without hope of cure and in a hopeless physical condition, by another human being.

The first four attempts were unsuccessful, either because of the veto exercised by President Marcelo Hebelo de Souza or objections from the Constitutional Court.

In the fifth attempt to have the text approved by the Assembleia da República in Lisbon, the members of the Portuguese national delegation voted for it with a clear majority, 129 votes in favor to 81 against.

Under the Constitution, the head of state must approve it bill to take effect within eight days after it is delivered to the presidency.

The text was modified several times.

Euthanasia is a criminal offense in most EU member states — carries heavy prison sentences

In 2021, the Spain it became only the fourth country to decriminalize it, after Netherlandsthe Belgium and Luxembourg.

Prime Minister Antonio Costa’s center-left government tabled the original bill in Portugal’s parliament three years ago. At the time, most MPs from the main opposition party, the centre-right PSD, and many parliamentarians from the far-right populist party Chega opposed decriminalisation, despite the strict conditions that came with it.

Mr Costa’s Socialist Party (PS) has repeatedly stressed that the bill aims to offer “freedom and dignity” to people who are suffering, in extreme pain due to illness, and want to end their lives.

The opposition had demanded a referendum in the country, where most citizens are devout Catholics.

Mr Hebelou de Souza, who says he is deeply religious, has repeatedly spoken out against the draft law, but says he will not impose his view. When he vetoed it, he cited “ambiguities” in the text.