Former Dutch Prime Minister Dries van Agt and his wife died on the same day
Former Dutch Prime Minister Dries van Agt and his wife Eugenie passed away on the same day, February 5, via couple euthanasia. This was reported by The Guardian.
Both were 93 years old. As one of the politician’s relatives, director Gerard Jockman, said, van Agt was ill, unable to recover from a brain hemorrhage that occurred in 2019, and his wife had cancer. According to the director, the couple “are very sick, but cannot do without each other.” They lived together for about 70 years.
Elke Swart, a representative of the euthanasia company Expertisecentrum Euthanasie, commented on this case to the publication. According to her, paired euthanasia is gaining popularity in the country, but it is still rare: the situation when two people suffer at the same time is rare. “It is pure coincidence that two people are suffering unbearably at the same time, with no hope of relief,” she said.
The Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia, this happened in 2002. Euthanasia is acceptable for six conditions, including unbearable suffering, no hope of relief, and a long-standing independent wish to die (this must be confirmed by a specialist).
Dries van Agt was the country's prime minister from 1977 to 1982, and was the first leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal party created in 1980.