Dutch PM Rutte has doubts about expanding euthanasia law

Prime Minister Mark Rutte has his doubts about expanding the euthanasia law to allow assisted suicide at the end of a "full life". He does not think that this will be arranged in the new cabinet period, he said in an interview with Nederlands Dagblad on Thursday.

In October the current government announced plans to allow assisted suicide for elderly people who "have completed their life". Rutte initially completely opposed the idea of a "complete life" and still feels hesitant about it.

"With this kind of big issue, I follow the line: if in doubt don't do it", he said to the newspaper. "At the same time we've had respectful discussions in the cabinet about there indeed being people - and I cannot deny this - that don't fall under the Euthanasia Law, and do feel that their life is complete."

Rutte thinks that time should be taken to carefully consider this difficult topic. "It is not a goal in itself that it should be arranged in the next government period." he said to Nederlands Dagblad.