Leo van Doesburg

In a previous post I wrote about the vote that is expected to extend Euthanasia to children in Belgium. In December I participated to a debate about this issue and I was shocked but also impressed about the studies Alex Schadenberg (International Chair of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition) showed there.  The current euthanasia legislation showed so much shortcomings (for example the number of unreported cases on euthanasia is still quite high and more analysis you find in the link below).  Moreover, legalizing a legislation also changes a mentality. Despite of the big number of unreported cases in Belgium, there are not a lot of cases that are legally persecuted. In the Netherlands, the ChristenUnie plans to organize a hearing on euthanasia because a person was euthanized because he was afraid not be able to live without his work after his pension.  In a letter signed by 160 pediatricians signed a letter calling the Belgian Members of Parliaments not to vote for...

Next week, Belgian House of Representatives (lower house) will vote on the euthanasia of young children. The bill which has already been supported in the Senate, allows to extend mercy-killing to children found to be terminally-ill. “This ‘symbolic dossier’ which has not been negotiated by the ruling coalition seems to be pushed through at a tremendous pace.  A great responsibility rests on the shoulders of the governmental Christian Democrat parties, which were surpassed by their governing partners in this issue of life and death”, Kris Vleugels, the chair of C'axent, the Belgian movement for more Christian values in politics and former vice-President of the ECPM, was quoted as saying. According to him, long term social commitment is rooted in deep moral convictions, while the contemporary culture is self-centred and indifferent to the principles of human dignity.' Kris Vleugels is also worried that the Belgian case might create a precedent that will be pu...