The Order of the Good Death: A Lesson in Closure
Dries van Agt, the former Dutch Prime Minister, made headlines in February 2024 for how he died: by euthanasia, hand-in-hand with his wife. Van Agt served as PM from 1977 to 1982, preceding Mark Rutte, who would later dominate Dutch politics for over a decade.
News reports indicated Van Agt had been in fragile health since a 2019 brain hemorrhage, from which he never fully recovered. His wife’s health was also deteriorating, leading them to make the mutual decision to undergo euthanasia. When I discussed it with a Dutch colleague, she noted the widespread respect for their choice, considering it quite remarkable. This respect underscores a core tenet of Dutch society: the belief in a right to choose a good death when suffering becomes unbearable
The Netherlands, known for its liberal legal reforms like same-sex unions, regulated coffee shops, and the famous Red Light District, was also the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia in 2002. I decided to look up the law, the Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide (Review Procedures) Act. It states that euthanasia is technically a criminal offense but a physician is exempt from prosecution if they adhere to extremely strict “due care criteria.” The core justification for this exception is to alleviate unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement. It is a delicate balancing act between the protection of life with a patient’s autonomy and dignity in the face of insurmountable medical hardship.
That word dignity. To be accorded mercy. Those two words are never in association with the deaths of ordinary people.