Italian leaders promise end-of-life legislation after Englaro death

February 10, 2009

The sudden death of Eluana Englaro halted a debate in Italy's parliament over an emergency bill designed to prevent her court-ordered starvation. But the government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi promised to draft new legislation governing end-of-life issue. Berlusconi's cabinet, with strong backing from the Vatican, had urged immediate passage of a measure prohibiting the withdrawal of food and water from a comatose patient. Englaro, who had lived in a coma for 17 years, died just 3 days after her feeding tube was removed; her doctor had expected her to survive for 2 weeks.

Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said that the young woman's death, and the "shadow of sadness" around it, should motivate Italians "to search responsibly for better ways to care for the weakest people in society, with full respect for the right to life." Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, the president of the Pontifical Council for Health care, offered his prayers for the repose of Eluana Englaro's soul, and "that the Lord forgive those who brought this about."

 

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Further information:

• Italian officials vow to clarify right-to-die law (AP)
• Vatican Sadness at news of Eluana Englaro’s Death, Urges Prayers and Forgiveness (Vatican Radio)
• Eluana Englaro dies suddenly as Italian parliament debates her fate (CWN, Feb 9)