Slovenian voters have rejected a law that would have allowed terminally ill patients to end their lives with medical assistance, according to initial results released by the country’s election commission.

Approximately 53% voted against the legislation, while 46% supported it, marking a setback for proponents of euthanasia.

The referendum met the required legal threshold for validity, as “no” votes represented at least 20% of Slovenia’s 1.7 million eligible voters. Voter turnout was reported at around 41%.

Conservative activist Aleš Primc, who led the campaign against the law, declared victory following the announcement. “Compassion has won,” Primc said, criticizing the government’s broader social reforms in health, pensions, and welfare as amounting to “death by poison.”

The Slovenian Parliament had initially passed the bill in July, following a non-binding referendum last year in which voters expressed support for euthanasia. Opponents, however, collected over 40,000 signatures, forcing a new binding referendum that ultimately suspended the law’s implementation.

Supporters of euthanasia expressed disappointment at the outcome but remained hopeful that future legislation could address the issue. Prime Minister Robert Golob emphasized that the matter remains important, stating, “This is not a political matter; it is about human dignity, human rights, and personal choice.”

The proposed law would have allowed mentally competent patients with no chance of recovery or unbearable suffering to self-administer a lethal drug under strict conditions, including approval by two doctors and a consultation process. The legislation explicitly excluded cases involving mental illnesses.

Opponents, including some medical associations and the Catholic Church, argued that the law violated constitutional principles and called for the state to focus on expanding palliative care services. Proponents, meanwhile, insisted that the law would ensure the right to a dignified death.

Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar stressed the importance of citizen engagement not only in elections but also on critical social issues, including euthanasia.

Slovenia joins several European Union countries, including neighboring Austria, where similar legislation permitting medical assistance in dying has already been enacted.

The referendum underscores the ongoing societal debate in Slovenia over euthanasia, human dignity, and the role of the state in end-of-life decisions.

(ILKHA)