New Zealanders have voted to allow assisted dying for the terminally ill but voted down legalizing marijuana. The questions were put to the country in separate referendums held on Oct. 17 in conjunction with the general election that handed Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern a landslide victory for another term.
The preliminary results from the referendums on two major social questions reflect a potential significant shift in social attitudes in New Zealand.
With most votes counted, New Zealanders emphatically endorsed voluntary euthanasia. Sixty-five percent said “yes” to the proposition on the right to die, putting the country on track to become one of the few that permits assisted suicide.
Read this story now for free
To continue reading, sign up for our newsletter and get unlimited access to WABE.org
You can select your preferences for news and local content. We will never share your email address. Learn how your newsletter sign-up will support WABE and Public Media
