Assisted Suicide Bill Fails in Scotland; Vote Hailed by Opponents as ‘Victory for the Vulnerable’

Scottish lawmakers voted against legalizing assisted dying on March 17, with opponents of the legislation hailing it as a “victory for the vulnerable,” while others lamented its failure as an affront to choice and dignity. The bill sought to allow terminally ill people over 16, judged as mentally competent and who have lived in Scotland for at least a year, ⁠to end their lives with state-sanctioned medical assistance.

A total of 69 members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) voted against the bill, while 57 backed it and one abstained. Had it passed, the bill would have made Scotland the first of the four UK nations to allow assisted suicide, which is already permitted in some U.S. states, and in Canada, Australia, and a handful of nations in Europe and South America.

The bill proposed that to qualify for an assisted suicide, individuals would need to have two doctors certify they have a terminal illness, as well as the mental capacity to understand their decision. A late amendment to the bill, passed last week, meant that only those reasonably expected to die within six months could make such a request.

Opponents of assisted dying across the UK have raised concerns about the risks of coercion of older adults and disabled people and the impact on vulnerable people, including those with depression and eating disorders. Others warned that the bill lacks safeguards for medical professionals, as employment matters are reserved for the UK government in Westminster.

Groups in the medical profession, including the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCS) and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, spoke out against the bill because they said it failed to include protection for professionals who object to assisted dying on conscientious grounds. The bill marked the third attempt by the Scottish Parliament to pass assisted dying legislation, with McArthur’s being the first to make it past the initial vote.
After the first vote, some lawmakers who had backed it withdrew their support, citing concerns about the legislation’s details.

For more information see Rachel Roberts “Assisted Suicide Bill Fails in Scotland; Vote Hailed by Opponents as ‘Victory for the Vulnerable’,” Epoch Times, March 19, 2026.