Top French court upholds assisted dying law, rejects teen social media ban

What the report says

France’s Constitutional Council has upheld a new law legalising assisted dying in limited circumstances, while striking down a separate measure that would have barred under-15s from using social media. Al Jazeera reported that the rulings were issued on Friday by the country’s highest constitutional authority and came as both a boost and a setback for President Emmanuel Macron, who supported both initiatives.

On assisted dying, the court left the legislation intact but clarified parts of it, including rules allowing pharmacists and some treatment centres to refuse participation on conscience grounds. Under the law, French citizens and legal residents may seek medical help to end their lives only if they have an incurable, life-threatening illness in an advanced or terminal stage and are experiencing constant, untreatable or unbearable suffering, with free and informed consent. The bill had already passed the National Assembly last month.

The court also rejected the social media restriction, saying the proposal did not provide enough legal safeguards and raised privacy concerns because age checks would be required for anyone accessing the platforms. The ban had been due to take effect in January 2027. According to Al Jazeera, Macron has now asked Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to prepare a new draft that would be legally sound.

The assisted-dying decision moves France closer to other European countries that already permit some form of end-of-life assistance, while the social media ruling reflects the wider debate over how governments should protect children online without overreaching.