THEThe way we think about tomorrow and the management of the most delicate moments of existence is changing. The latest photographs taken of Italian society from the Eurispes Italy 2026 Reportreveal that the desire for self-determination and the protection of personal dignity are no longer taboo, but they are becoming important in family conversations, especially among the younger generations. Once confined to academic debates or courtrooms, reflections on the end of life have become part of common awareness.
End of life: deciding your own destiny is increasingly important
There sensitivity towards euthanasiaunderstood as the medical act that puts an end to a patient’s suffering at his explicit request, has now gone beyond the boundaries of purely ethical discussions to become a widely shared request for freedom. Over seven out of ten citizens look favorably on this possibilitya fact that demonstrates how the perception of irreversible suffering and loss of autonomy has profoundly changed.
Adults and young people, interest changes
This orientation is not uniform, but it tells a very clear generational story. They are mostly young adultsin particular the group between 35 and 44 years old, to show the largest openingfollowed closely by the younger boys. In the older segments of the populationwhile remaining a majority vision, the approach becomes more nuanced and prudenta mirror of a different experience and cultural heritage.
Often considered distant from the most complex issues, young people discover themselves to be the true protagonists of the debate on the end of life. (Getty Images)
A labyrinth of laws
Behind this push from society, however, lies a complex and, in many ways, still fixed regulatory reality. In Italy, in fact, there is a clear distinction between what is legal and what is not. Actual euthanasiato date, remains illegal and is punished by the penal code as consenting murder. The real breakthrough has occurredInstead, on the assisted suicide frontbut not thanks to an Act of Parliament. It was the Constitutional Court that paved the way with a historic ruling that has established that aiding suicide is not punishable under four specific conditions.
A void to fill
In the absence of an organic national law that regulates the matter, a strong imbalance has been created. Some Regions have started to move independently to guarantee certain times for the sick, while in others the courts must order the health facilities to intervene, forcing people into painful bureaucratic battles. The political debate remains very heated: on one side there are those who are pushing for a law that fully recognizes medical assistance in voluntary death, on the other those who fear that the protection of life will be weakened and instead ask to exclusively strengthen palliative care.
The cultural turning point on assisted suicide
As regards the population’s feelings on assisted suicide, if until a few years ago, less than four out of ten Italians were in favor of this option, in a relatively short time the situation was reversed and, today, over half of citizens express a positive opinion. This leap forward demonstrates how open and receptive society is proving to be in considering the right to individual choice even in the terminal stages of life. The generation gap here becomes even more evident: almost 70% of young people support this possibility, compared to greater resistance among those over 64.
Living will: protection tool for the future
Also on the living willformally known as Dat, or Advance Treatment Provisions, which allows anyone to draw up a document in which to express one’s wishes regarding health treatments that you wish to receive or refuse if, in the future, you find yourself unable to communicate due to illness or trauma, things have changed a lot. In the Eurispes investigation, the acceptance of this instrument is plebiscitarian, exceeding 80% of the votes. Here too, membership is driven by young people and those with a higher level of education.
Looking fragility in the face
The discussion becomes even more intimate and profound when it touches on the topic of neurodegenerative diseases, such as advanced senile dementia. Face the thought of progressively losing your consciousness and identity It’s one of the aspects that scares you the most. The data indicates that almost seven out of ten Italians believe it is right to be able to resort to euthanasia even in the case of dementiaprovided that this will has been clearly expressed previously through the advance directives. The end of lifetherefore, no longer seems to be experienced as an exclusively medical or religious theme, but as the last chapter of a personal story that everyone wishes they could write with their own pen.