Dries van Agt, a former Dutch prime minister who was a Catholic, passed away through euthanasia at the age of 93, alongside his wife Eugenie, who was also 93.
Their deaths, occurring last Monday, are viewed as part of an emerging trend in the Netherlands known as “duo euthanasia.”
Although still infrequent, the phenomenon of euthanasia for couples was initially observed in a review of all cases in 2020, with 26 individuals granted euthanasia simultaneously with their partners. The numbers increased to 32 the following year and reached 58 in 2022.
Dries van Agt served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1977 to 1982, during which he also assumed the inaugural leadership of the Christian Democratic Appeal party. His political trajectory was characterized by a steadfast commitment to his principles, which persisted beyond his tenure in office. This commitment is exemplified by his establishment of The Rights Forum in 2009, an organization dedicated to championing the rights of Palestinians.
