In Portugal, president enacts euthanasia bill after parliament overrides final veto

Portugal's conservative President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has signed a bill decriminialising euthanasia into law in the Catholic-majority country after parliament on [12 May] overturned the last of his four vetoes. His office said in a statement the president had enacted the legislation "as he is obliged" to do so under the constitution. [...] In January 2021, a previous legislature passed the first bill that would have legalised medically assisted death under certain conditions, but Rebelo de Sousa vetoed it due to "excessively undefined concepts". As parliament kept approving slightly amended versions, the president would send them back to the house or to the Constitutional Court, usually citing doubts over wording, which critics said were mere attempts to delay its introduction. On [12 May], the 250-seat parliament voted by 129-81, with one abstention, to approve the bill without changes requested by Rebelo de Sousa, effectively overturning his veto. The centre-right main opposition Social Democratic Party has said, however, it will appeal against the law with the Constitutional Court.
Read the full article here: Reuters