MP questions Santorum's forced euthanasia claims

RNW, 24 February 2012

(Photo: YouTube/rightwingwatch.org)

Dutch Labour MP Frans Timmermans has asked questions in parliament about a comment made by Rick Santorum who is in the race to become the Republican presidential candidate. During a meeting at a religious college, he claimed that forced euthanasia accounts for 5 percent of all deaths in the Netherlands.

The film was made by rightwingwatch.org from a position in the audience.

Mr Timmermans wants to know why the Dutch embassy has not challenged the US politician over the comment. The embassy says it does not want to interfere with the US elections.

"According to the New York Times the ambassador gave “no comment” on Santorum’s scandalous accusations aimed at our country. How is that possible?", Mr Timmermans wrote on Facebook. "It’s not right."

Rick Santorum is a conservative Catholic running to become the Republican presidential candidate. He is doing well in the opinion polls. During the meeting, he said that 10 percent of deaths in the Netherlands were caused by euthanasia. "Half of those people are euthanised involuntarily.” He goes on to say that the elderly seek treatment abroad to avoid Dutch hospitals so that they come out alive. He also claimed that elderly patients wear bracelets with the text “Don’t euthanize me”. The audience can be heard gasping.

The figures cited by the US politician are incorrect. Only two percent of deaths in the Netherlands are attributed to euthanasia. Dutch law is very strict about euthanasia only being carried out at the request of the patient him or herself. The patient has to be suffering unbearably from an incurable condition. The patient's request must also be assessed by two doctors.

The issue has been raised in many small reports in US papers, but is hardly mentioned in the Dutch press.

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