France on Wednesday moved closer to joining the ranks of countries that guarantee the right to assisted dying for adults suffering from an incurable condition, a move championed by President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron had promised such a law when he was re-elected for a second term in 2022, in a change seen as one of the most important social reforms since France allowed same-sex marriage in 2012.

If the country’s highest constitutional authority approves the legislation, France will join the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada in legalising assisted dying.

“In 2022, I made a commitment to open this path with the French people,” Macron wrote on X.

“With seriousness, humility, and in full respect of our democracy, that commitment has been honoured.”

The law establishes a right to assisted dying for some adults suffering from an incurable condition.

They must be capable of expressing themselves in a “free and informed” manner and be suffering from physical pain.

This pain must either be unresponsive to treatment or, in the patient’s view, unbearable, where they have chosen not to receive or to stop receiving treatment.

A physician is responsible for verifying the patient’s eligibility, before a panel assesses the criteria.

Ultimately, the doctor makes the decision alone, and the patient may withdraw consent at any time.

The patient will administer a lethal substance themselves, with exceptions for those who are physically unable to be helped by a health worker.