Professor Theo Boer:

Yes, but as of now, the Belgian and Dutch situations are very much alike. In principle, the Belgians legalised euthanasia just one year after we did it in 2002. We did it in 2001. Those are not the differences. The difference is now that we might have this completed life law, but the Belgians are also considering doing that as well, so that old age, in and of itself, may be the reason to have an assisted death. It was presented a couple of years ago and at that time we expected a good majority in parliament to be for that law but for some reason, with new elections and people having more second thoughts about this age discrimination or age criterion, I think there is a chance that this law may in the end be rejected.