The ruling Socialists presented parliament with a legislative proposal

The ruling Socialists presented parliament with a legislative proposal for legalising euthanasia yesterday, despite fierce opposition from the Catholic church and rightwing groups.

The proposal has been championed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez who said the party had spent “years” working on the subject.

It is the third time in just over a year that the Socialists have tried to decriminalise euthanasia, with the bill proposing that any person suffering a serious debilitating or incurable illness may be helped to die if they wish, in order to avoid intolerable suffering.