New Zealand euthanasia: Assisted dying to be legal for terminally ill people

 

 
New Zealand has voted to legalise euthanasia in what campaigners have called "a victory for compassion and kindness".
Preliminary results showed 65.2% of voters supported the End of Life Choice Act coming into force as a new law. The law will allow terminally ill people with less than six months to live the opportunity to choose assisted dying if approved by two doctors. Its opponents say the law lacks adequate safeguards.
The referendum results announced on Friday do not include an estimated 480,000 special votes, including overseas ballots, so the final outcome will not be confirmed until 6 November. But with such strong support, the decision is not expected to change.

The referendum is binding and the law is expected to come into effect in November 2021.
It will see New Zealand join a small group of countries, including the Netherlands and Canada, which allow euthanasia.
The referendum on assisted dying was held alongside the general election earlier this month. In a separate non-binding referendum held at the same time, New Zealanders narrowly rejected a proposal to legalise recreational cannabis.
The preliminary results on the cannabis vote was 53.1% no and 46.1% yes - though this result may be subject to change when the special votes are counted.