Belgium considers law to legalize child euthanasia

In a move that underscores the social depravity of north-west Europe, Belgium is now seriously considering legislation that would legalize euthanasia for children under the age of 18. The adult right to die can (pardon the pun) already be executed by doctors in Belgium and Holland with laws on the books since 2002. (The Dutch allow it for age 13+)

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The leftist Belgian-Flemish newspaper De Morgen reports “On both sides of the linguistic border, liberals and socialists appear to agree on the fact that age should not be regarded as a decisive criteria in the event of a request for euthanasia.” That’s an astonishing statement. Clearly children are in no position to make a mature decision for themselves. The Christian-Democrats Party are not expected to support the legislation but Flemish nationalists, who support more autonomy for Dutch speaking Belgium, will favour the legislation that wants doctors to decide on a minor’s capacity for discernment on a case by case basis.

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So, although the parents may decide in consultation with doctors in some cases, there may be circumstances where the doctors can decide that the child is mature enough to make their own decision. That’s right, Belgium thinks that in some circumstances a child is mature enough to make the decision to end their own life. Immediately to the north the Dutch have since 2005 not prosecuted doctors who perform euthanasia on some minors as long as the doctors act in accordance with a set of medical guidelines dubbed the Groningen protocol. This may be important to understand as it could form part of the basis for the Belgian law and ultimately impact the whole of the EU. The protocol essentials are: The termination of a child's life (under age 12) is acceptable if 4 requirements were properly fulfilled:

• The presence of hopeless and unbearable suffering
• The consent of the parents to termination of life
• Medical consultation having taken place
• Careful execution of the termination

- (Wikipedia – Groningen Protocol)

Just the wording of #4 is frighteningly clinical with the language being reduced to that of a medical procedure, just like an abortion. According to The International Business Times and UK’s Christian Concern; if the legislation passes, it would mean that under-18s would be able to choose to die whilst being legally barred from drinking alcohol, marrying, voting and driving. The legislation would also likely allow euthanasia for people with Alzheimer’s and other conditions leading to advanced dementia, who would otherwise be deemed incompetent to make the decision to die. Catholic clergy have strongly opposed the bill with Belgian Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard saying: “We expressed our strong reservations regarding the decriminalization of euthanasia as early as 2002. First and foremost because we have excellent palliative care available today, and because we can rely on sedation, to the extent strictly necessary.” But it seems that he is a rare voice in the wilderness as Belgium prepares to join its Dutch neighbour in legally violating the sanctity of life.

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