Slovenian voters have rejected a proposed law that would allow terminally ill, mentally competent adults experiencing unbearable suffering to end their lives with medical assistance. The binding referendum result marks a reversal from June 2024, when a majority supported the idea in a non-binding consultative vote.
According to near-complete results from the National Electoral Commission, 53.4% voted against the law, while 46.6% supported it.
The “no” vote met the legal quorum, representing more than one fifth of Slovenia’s 1.7 million eligible voters. Turnout reached 40.9%.
Conservative activist Aleš Primc, who spearheaded the referendum initiative, welcomed the outcome, declaring that “compassion has won.” He accused the government of pushing reforms “based on death by poisoning,” echoing the central message of the opposition campaign.
