The Catalan Parliament in Barcelona is set to vote this week on measures to deploy financial aid for patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and to propose a reform of the Euthanasia Law to the Spanish Congress.
The plenary session follows recent controversies, including the Catalan government's pilot programme to deploy Mossos d'Esquadra officers in schools for prevention and support tasks. The session will also address a judicial investigation into the chief of staff for President Salvador Illa, relating to his time as mayor of Esparreguera, and the exoneration of Jordi Pujol in a hidden family fortune trial.
President Illa and other government members will respond to parliamentary group questions during Wednesday's Control Session, preceded by interpellations on Tuesday afternoon. After these, the Parliament will vote on the economic benefits for ALS patients, a measure previously approved by the government's Executive Council.
Support for ALS Patients
This initiative will provide patients with extreme dependency (grade III+) with monthly aid ranging from €5,000 to €15,000, depending on their required care. In Catalonia, approximately 800 people suffer from ALS, a neurodegenerative disease that gradually causes muscle paralysis and the loss of ability to speak, swallow, and breathe.
Euthanasia Law Reform Proposed
The Parliament will also vote on a proposal to present a bill to the Congress of Deputies aimed at modifying the Euthanasia Law. The proposed changes seek to reduce judicial processing times for appeals against decisions on requests for assisted dying. Additionally, the text limits the presentation of these appeals to a single instance in the competent superior court of justice in each community.
The initiative's proponents aim to prevent cases like that of Noelia, a 25-year-old woman from Barcelona who waited 601 days for assisted dying due to a legal battle with her father, who opposed her request. Noelia, who also suffered from borderline personality disorder, applied for euthanasia in April 2024. After a judicial fight, the Strasbourg Court rejected a request to halt the euthanasia in March, giving it the green light. "I have finally achieved it. Let's see if I can finally rest," Noelia told Antena 3 in an interview.
