In 2020, 6,938 people died by euthanasia in the Netherlands. It’s the highest yearly figure on record, representing almost 4.3% of the country’s total deaths for the 12-month period.
Euthanasia deaths in 2020 surpassed the previous peak of 6,585 in 2017. The Netherlands legalised euthanasia in 2002, becoming the first European country to do so.
In 2020, the Dutch government outlined plans to extend the current law in order to permit children aged 1- 12 to be euthanised. The law already permitted children aged 12 and over to be euthanised and provision also existed for infants to be euthanised after birth or during their first year of life.
There has been close to a 300% increase in deaths by euthanasia in the Netherlands since 2002. It’s utterly alarming the way the change in the law has changed behaviour and the numbers opting to end their lives.
Don’t let any politician or pro-euthanasia activist ever convince you that ‘restrictive’ euthanasia is possible. Once the right to life is conceded, it’s inevitable that over time respect for human life declines and the numbers opting for euthanasia and assisted suicide start to spiral.