Bellamy Focuses on Assisted Dying, Wildfires and Presidential Election

Paris – 15/07/2026: François-Xavier Bellamy, a Member of the European Parliament and leading representative of the conservative party Les Républicains in the European Parliament, commented on assisted dying, wildfires and the presidential election on Wednesday morning on the programme “8h30 franceinfo”. The interview took place on a significant parliamentary day: the National Assembly was due to make its final decision on the bill introducing assistance in dying.

The end-of-life debate is among the most institutionally and ethically difficult legislative initiatives of this parliamentary term. Under strict conditions, the proposal provides access to assistance in dying for adults. Requirements include a serious and incurable illness, an advanced or incurable stage of illness, unbearable suffering, and the capacity to express a free and informed wish.

The National Assembly had already approved the text in a new reading on 30 June by 295 votes to 232. The Senate, however, had repeatedly rejected it. After efforts to reach an agreement between the two chambers failed, the government was able to grant the National Assembly the final say. In parallel, a separate law to improve access to palliative care was promulgated on 26 May 2026.

Within Les Républicains, Bellamy is one of the most prominent critics of liberalising assisted dying. His presence on the day of the final vote underscores that the dispute does not follow the usual party-group lines alone. On end-of-life issues, several political groups traditionally refrain from imposing binding voting instructions, as these matters concern lawmakers’ individual conscience.

The wildfire situation also formed the backdrop to the discussion. At the beginning of July, the government convened an interministerial crisis unit in Marseille after heat, drought and wind had increased the fire risk, particularly in the south of the country. According to the government, around 7,000 fires had already been recorded since the start of the season; approximately 8,700 hectares of land had burned by early July. Around 2,000 emergency personnel were on standby each day.

The link between fire risk and heatwaves is increasingly shifting the political debate from immediate hazard response to prevention, land management and municipal adaptation. For the conservative opposition, this is also an area in which it stresses the state’s capacity to act, the protection of rural areas and the resources available to emergency services. The interview announcement did not report any specific statements by Bellamy on individual additional measures.

By addressing the presidential election, the programme also pointed to increasingly intense preparations for the 2027 campaign. For Les Républicains, the central strategic question remains how the party can maintain an independent profile between the presidential camp, the Rassemblement National and a fragmented centre. As vice-president of his party and a representative of the French delegation in the EPP Group, Bellamy is an influential voice in this regard.