Editorial: Le Monde

• Michel Barnier pledged to listen, respect, and be accountable to the French people and to work more with parliament.
• Barnier displayed a lack of clarity about the future of the end of life and euthanasia law, a major reform driven by the president.
• Barnier proposes to reassume dialogue about this law in 2025, but without a clear timetable or intent.
• The proposed law, which would legalize assistance in dying, raises crucial and challenging questions.
• The law is favored by the public and a significant number of the citizen convention but faces significant opposition from the church, some healthcare professionals, and the Republican Right.
• The indefinite postponement of the review of the law would be incomprehensible in the context of perceived disconnection between lawmakers and citizens' concerns.

Conclusion: It is crucial that the government address the end of life law without delay and it is inexcusable to sidestep the concerns of public opinion. The government's legitimacy and citizens' faith in it could be eroded if these crucial issues are left aside.

---