After years of debate, French MPs have voted to adopt a bill to establish a right to assisted dying for some adults suffering from an incurable condition under strict rules.

The lower chamber backed the law, with 291 voting for it and 241 against. The country’s highest constitutional authority still has to examine the law.

The bill was one of the flagship pledges of French President Emmanuel Macron’s second five-year term, which he described as “the French model for end-of-life care.”

“On an issue as personal as it is profound, touching on life, suffering and dignity, only one approach was possible: taking the time to listen, engage in dialogue and debate.”

Many French people have travelled to neighbouring countries where assisted suicide or euthanasia are legal.

With its adoption, France joins 11 countries that have also adopted assisted dying laws, each with their own rules and criteria.