By: Moja Dolenjska
The coalition (Svoboda, SD, and Levica) adopted a resolution at National Assembly session stating that the proposed law on assistance in voluntary ending of life (suicide, euthanasia) is suitable for further discussion. The proposal is opposed by the SDS and NSi parties, who voted against it.
Bojan Čebela, president of the seniors’ organisation of the Gibanje Svoboda party and former mayor of the Municipality of Borovnica, also voted in favour of euthanasia.
During the debate, the SDS parliamentary group emphasised that they strongly oppose the euthanasia law. They pointed out that the result of the consultative referendum in June 2024 clearly showed that there is no broad societal consensus for such a sensitive piece of legislation. MP Alenka Jeraj, who presented the SDS position, stated that every life counts – even one in distress.
“Instead of opening the door to ending life, as a society we must commit to something else:
- preventing suicides
- greater access to psychosocial help
- respecting the dignity of every life,” she said.
Jelka Godec, head of the SDS parliamentary group, also revealed that the coalition’s proposal includes a cost comparison in the law on assistance in dying: how much palliative care costs versus the cost of assisted death.
“Really? Have we come so far that we measure a person’s worth in euros?” she asked. She added that SDS believes the state’s role is to help people live – not to offer death as a cheaper solution. In this case, it is offering suicide.
MP Alenka Helbl (SDS) warned that the coalition is relying on the majority from the June 2024 consultative referendum on assisted dying. But that majority was only 54.87%. “When it comes to life and death, a slim societal majority is not enough. A quiet majority is not enough. What is needed here is social consensus, not a political experiment. Democracy is not just counting votes – it is also responsibility when deciding whether the state should enable death,” she emphasised.
The ruling coalition published the law on January 7th, 2025, and held the first debate yesterday. Given the coalition’s voting majority, it is certain that the law will be passed in the next stages.