On Sunday, the good people of Muddy Hollows will vote in a referendum on assisted dying. But pengovsky, either reader might exclaim, didn’t you guys already vote on that some time ago? The answer to which is, yes, yes we did. And now we’re doing it again. Only this time shit got dead serious.
Back in June 2024, in conjunction with the EU elections in Slovenia the people voted in four referendums as well. One of those votes was on whether this sorry little excuse for a country should formalise the right to assisted dying. Somewhat surprisingly, the people supported the idea. Even more surprisingly, the coalition decided that it is a good idea to pass the law eight months before the elections. But a grand total of zero people were surprised when Aleš Primc announced (and secured) a referendum challenge.
While we’re on the issue, it is also no surprise that of the four referendums in June 2024, the coalition is not touching the one that got by far the broadest support. The idea of a preferential voting system still scares the shit out the Slovenian political class. Bob forbid they would let the people have, you know, an actual say in who specifically represents them in the parliament. And that’s even though seventy-one percent of voters supported the idea.
Primc of Darkness Returns
At any rate, the government coalition MPs put forward a law that was drafted in large part by Srebrna Nit, a progressive NGO-cum-pensioners’-club and the coalition approved in a final vote last July. Obviously, wherever Muddy Hollows debates bodily autonomy, The Primc of Darkness is not far away.
Over the past 25 years Aleš Primc has amassed a huge influence and developed a big-ass network he can always activate. As a result, clearing legal hurdles to call a referendum is a walk in a park for him. Especially if the Catholic Church gets in on the act. As it usually does. And if the right-wing parties offer support, which they can ill-afford not to, things go even smoother.
In a nutshell, the law formalises the procedure for assisted dying, establishes who has the right to ask for it. Just the patient, in case you’re wondering. It also defines under what circumstances a patient can make said request (terminal illness combined with unbearable suffering). It also sets up checks and legal and other hurdles that must be cleared. And there are plenty of those. Finally, the law established what is the role of medical professionals in all of this.
In an even smaller nutshell, the law will survive the challenge if there the majority vote in favour of the law. Or, if the majority against the law does not constitute more than 20% of all eligible voters.
Ugly campaign
Predictably, the campaign, such as it was, didn’t really discuss the contents and provisions of the law (although, see below). Rather, it was much more about culture wars and making shit up. At least on the part of Aleš Primc and his band of merry lunatics.
This post need to be up before midnight for legal reasons, so pengovsky won’t go into details. But the amount of distortion, manipulation and outright lies by Primc and his political backers (mostly NSi, some SDS), made Obama death panels look like fucking picnic.
That is not to say, however, that opponents of the law were spinning exclusively bullshit or that the law is perfect. Even among supporters, there are people who are uneasy about the way the law handles assisted dying.
Maybe it’s the fact that the law seems clumsily written in some aspects. Maybe it’s the bureaucratic dimension to what is ultimately a very intimate and somber personal moment. Not just for the patient but also for the family. Or maybe it’s the fact that the law doesn’t deal with the emotional toll assistance in dying will take on the living. Both on medical professionals who will be on hand throughout the procedure as well as on the family and/or significant others.
Even though the vote on Sunday is ultimately about personal autonomy of the terminally ill and suffering.
Polls predict law will stay, but…
Public opinion polls suggest the law stay with close to a 60% vote. Which, if it comes to pass, would be an even stronger results that the one on the consultative referendum. This probably gives Aleš Primc heartburn.
But referendums are notoriously hard to call. This one especially, as yes/no fault-lines do not mirror political affiliation. It could well be that there’s a difference between supporting the right to assisted dying in principle and seeing it enshrined into an imperfect law.
With that in mind, pengovsky would not at all be surprised if the law is defeated. This is all the more possible if the turnout comes is low. Should that happen, Aleš Primc could notch yet another victory in the never-ending cultural war in Muddy Hollows.
