Italy debates euthanasia

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had attempted to pass an emergency decree that would require that Englaro be kept alive, but this decree was blocked by President Giorgio Napolitano, leading to intense feuding between the two.

Most major Italian newspapers have given this case front page status, understandably, and the Italian senate has said it wants to pass a "right to die" law (BBC).

Since The Vatican is located in Italy and the catholic church is adamantly anti-euthanasia, it will be very interesting to see what Italy does on this issue. Of course the "right to die" appears only to extend to so-called acts of "passive euthanasia," meaning that the means of keeping one alive are taking away - as in this case where the feeding tube was removed.

The issue is very important. The question of whether people have a right to die and how far that right extends is increasingly debated among ethicists and lawmakers. We should watch these developments and debates with great interest and concern.