Belgium reports significant increase in euthanasia deaths

A new report from the Federal Commission for the Control and Evaluation of Euthanasia reveals that deaths by euthanasia in Belgium have more than doubled over the last five years. In 2025, euthanasia accounted for four percent of all deaths in the country, with 4,487 recorded cases compared to 2,445 in 2020. Since the practice was legalized in 2002, the total number of deaths via this method has reached 42,000.

The data indicates that approximately one-quarter of the 2025 cases involved individuals who were not expected to die from a terminal illness in the near future, a figure that has more than tripled since 2020. The report also noted an increase in euthanasia for patients with dementia, psychiatric disorders, or those citing being "tired of life," as well as two cases involving minors over the past two years. The commission acknowledged that some procedures did not fully adhere to established protocols.

Critics, including Alisdair Hungerford-Morgan of Right To Life UK, expressed concern over the rising numbers, particularly regarding vulnerable populations. He argued that individuals with mental or physical health conditions should receive enhanced care rather than access to assisted suicide.