Assisted Suicide in Italy: Navigating the Frontiers of “Legitimate Medicine”

The unrestrainable evolution of medical science and technology is drastically changing healthcare, enabling new medical procedures and remedies, which are increasingly intertwined with moral principles. Although a uniform European approach to assisted suicide is lacking, a common trend is developing: the boundary between euthanasia, assisted suicide, and end-of-life care on one hand, and the frontiers of “legitimate medicine”, on the other are becoming increasingly blurred, emphasizing the polarization between secular and religious narratives. In Italy, ruling no. 242/2019 of the Constitutional Court declared the partial unconstitutionality of Article 580 of the Italian Criminal Code, which prohibits assistance in suicide. The present paper analyzes the legal regime of assisted dying in Italy, the role of the rule of law, the religious influence on political decision making, and investigates current legal challenges and potential future legal tracks.