Former Dutch Prime Minister Dries van Agt and his wife Eugenie died as a result of bilateral euthanasia

News

by Catherine Dunleavy

Former Dutch Prime Minister Dries van Agt died by legal euthanasia, “hand in hand” with his wife Eugenie.

The Rights Forum, a human rights organization founded by Agt, announced on Friday that the couple, who were 93 years old, died on Monday in his hometown of Nijmegen.

“He died together, hand in hand with his beloved wife Eugenie van Agt Krekelberg, the support and support with whom he had been together for over seventy years, and whom he always referred to as ‘my girl,’” the non-profit organization said. He said in a statement.

Both Agt and his wife had been in poor health for some time before they chose to die.

In 2019, the former prime minister suffered a brain hemorrhage while giving a speech at a memorial service for Palestinians, a cause to which he devoted the last decades of his life. He never fully recovered.

Van Agt and his wife were very ill, but “they couldn't live without each other,” said Gerad Junkman, director of the nonprofit. The broadcaster said NOS About choosing euthanasia.

The newspaper reported that bilateral euthanasia, or two people receiving a lethal injection at the same time, is still relatively rare in the Netherlands but is slowly gaining increasing popularity.

Twenty-nine couples chose double death in 2022, up from 16 pairs who chose in 2021 and 13 pairs the year before.

Van Agt served in numerous political positions throughout his long career, most notably as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1977 until 1982.

After a visit to Israel in 1999, the Christian Democrat became increasingly vocal about his support for the Palestinian people.

In 2009, he founded the Rights Forum, which calls for “a fair and sustainable Dutch and European policy regarding the Palestinian/Israeli issue.”

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who referred to Van Agt as his “great-grandfather in office,” remembered his predecessor as a true leader.

“With his unique and elegant language, his clear convictions and his stunning presentation, Dries van Agt gave color and substance to Dutch politics in a time of polarization and party renewal,” Rutte said. He said in a statement.

The Dutch royal family also paid tribute to him: “He took on administrative responsibility at a turbulent time and managed to inspire many with his amazing personality and colorful style,” King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and Princess Beatrix said in a joint statement.

With mail wires