[A new end-of-life law? An Italian detour]

On January 31, 2018, advance directives law has come into effect in Italy. It is a law that grants the right to any individual of full age to express his or her preferences regarding treatment in anticipation of the days when he or she might be unable to do so. In France, however, two years after its entry into effect, the Claeys-Leonetti law is increasingly under attack. Some are even calling for a new end-of-life legislation altogether. A discussion of the Italian case, focused on the debates that led to the approval of this new legislation, can help us re-contextualize the French case. While there are many similarities between the two laws, their differences in terms of practices and intellectual frameworks may suggest additional avenues of thinking and help improve end-of-life conditions.