The Party of Socialists and Democrats (PSD) has expressed satisfaction over the final approval of the end-of-life law by San Marino’s Grand and General Council (Consiglio Grande e Generale). For the PSD, this marks an important achievement in the field of civil rights, reached through dialogue between political forces with differing positions and sensibilities.
The party particularly highlighted the role of the Emma Rossi Association, which promoted the popular initiative behind the proposal, and acknowledged the contribution of the RETE Movement, which chose to make way for the text despite having presented its own bill.
“This is an important milestone for the Republic of San Marino, which has made significant progress on civil rights, recognising new protections for individual freedom, will and dignity,” the PSD said in its statement.
The party then outlined the main innovations introduced by the law, starting with patients’ right to be informed about their health conditions and to take part in decisions regarding their medical treatment.
“This is a law that introduces concrete rights. It recognises the right to be fully informed about one’s health condition, to participate in treatment decisions, and to accept or refuse medical care.
And above all, it introduces advance treatment directives, allowing everyone to express their wishes today for a time when they may no longer be able to communicate them,” the PSD emphasised.
According to the party, the new provisions will also have an impact on families and healthcare staff, providing clearer guidance on patients’ wishes during moments of greatest vulnerability.
“It means respecting the will of those in particularly fragile conditions, giving doctors clear points of reference, and preventing extremely difficult decisions from falling entirely on family members,” the PSD noted, also stressing the importance of palliative care and end-of-life support.
Special thanks were extended to the Emma Rossi Association, to which the party attributed a decisive role in the process that led to the law’s approval.
“The PSD’s first and most heartfelt thanks go to the Emma Rossi Association, which deserves fundamental credit for this civil achievement. The Association managed to turn a long-standing need within San Marino’s society into a concrete legislative proposal.
It did so with determination, sensitivity and a strong sense of responsibility, accompanying the entire process with a willingness to engage in dialogue that decisively contributed to the result achieved,” the statement reads.
The PSD also acknowledged the contribution of the RETE Movement, which had submitted its own proposal on end-of-life issues before choosing to step aside in favour of the popular initiative. “It was a smart choice. And a generous one too, politically speaking. That’s not something that happens very often,” the party commented.
Another point raised concerns the political process that accompanied the examination of the bill. “On an issue that touches on religious convictions, cultural sensitivities and very different personal experiences, the Grand and General Council managed to find common ground.
That was not a given.
The debate was at times complex, but the willingness to listen to one another and build a shared response ultimately prevailed,” the PSD stated.
For the party, the approval shows that even on particularly sensitive issues, it is possible to reach agreement without necessarily sharing the same starting positions. “Not everyone needs to think alike in order to take joint responsibility for moving the country forward,” the statement continues.
The PSD also underlined the significance of the approval for San Marino, recalling how the Republic has often addressed civil rights issues with delay in the past.
“This time we managed to tackle a complex issue within a relatively short timeframe, showing that our country too can keep pace with society’s evolution rather than simply trailing behind it,” the party said.
What remains now is the practical implementation of the law. The PSD stressed the need to make the tools provided under the new provisions accessible, and to ensure the healthcare system is equipped to guarantee the rights now recognised for patients.
“The approval of the law obviously does not conclude the work. Its full implementation must be guaranteed, the tools it provides must be made accessible, and the healthcare system must be put in a position to give concrete effect to these new rights,” the party specified.
The statement closes with a quote from Don Milani: “To get out of it together is politics. To get out of it alone is greed,” followed by a final reference to the dialogue that led to the law’s approval: “On such a delicate issue, San Marino’s political class found a way to move forward together. And in doing so, it helped the country take a step forward.”
