Referendum on assisted dying: much ado about nothing?

The law on assisted dying was introduced after a consultative referendum in 2024 and was adopted in Parliament this June. It was only then, that the opposition organised a referendum, which it won with a 53.4% share, also surpassing the required 20% quorum of the eligible population and effectively rejecting the law. A lot of money and voter goodwill was wasted to be back at the start. 

In recent years, the referendum system is being misused: on one hand, the government appears unwilling to invest political capital in certain legislation, instead calling referendums on topics like cannabis use and assisted suicide. It confuses voters announcing and calling off referendums on NATO membership and Krško 2 or asking citizens to vote twice on assisted suicide without mounting any meaningful campaign. The opposition isn’t any better calling frivolous referendums such as on the pensions for exceptional cultural achievements, a law affecting only a handful of people.

Miha Cernetic, founding member of Volt Slovenia

In Estonia, citizens vote using an app to which they can register with their e-identity. Voting is transparent, simple and does not burden the state budget with millions of euros for every referendum. Switzerland also sets a high bar for transparency explaining the vote in a neutral manner listing arguments for and against to allow citizens to form an unbiased opinion. I wonder if we would get better results on referendums in Slovenia if we took the emotion out of it and allowed citizens to make educated decisions.

Borja Ranzinger, founding member of Volt Slovenia

Deciding about one’s own life or death is a fundamental human right and freedom. It is right to allow people to make decisions about their own fate. Legal safeguards are important to ensure that this is genuinely the case and that the decision truly reflects the individual’s will. Forcing a person to prolong their own agony when they do not wish to is by no means the mark of a compassionate or progressive society.

Matic Bitenc, founding member of Volt Slovenia

Volt Slovenija is supportive of the law as originally passed.

Contact

• Špela Majcen Marušič - Press and Media -  [email protected]

• Borja Ranzinger - Party Registration - [email protected] 

About Volt

Volt Slovenija is the local section of Volt, a paneuropean movement with 40.000 members in 31 EU member states, 5 MEPs in the European Parliament and deputies in the Netherlands and Cyprus. Volt works for a more united Europe, that is not only economically integrated, but also includes a democratic and social dimension. Volt Slovenija is currently collecting signatures to register as a political party ahead of next year’s national elections. The party defined three priorities: benefiting from more European integration, decentralisation to reduce the cost of living and create opportunities throughout Slovenia and trust and transparency in politics.