MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Most Uruguayans favor legalizing euthanasia

This year's study yielded results almost identical to the ones from 2020

A survey released this weekend has shown that 55% of Uruguayans are in favor of legalizing euthanasia, while 25% opposed it and the rest still has to make up their minds on the controversial issue.

The research by pollsters Cifra carries a weight of its own in a country where bills in this regard have come and gone through Congress. Despite the seemingly endless debates, public opinion has not changed in the last two years.

Cifra had last carried out a similar study in June 2020, with an outcome almost identical to the latest research.

Most Montevideans are inclined to legalize euthanasia when compared to people from rural settings, while the younger generations are more inclined to it than older people.

Among the less educated, only 38% are in favor and almost a third are against it. On the other end, 69% of people with college-level education support the initiative.

Also, 55% of the voters of the current Multicolor ruling coalition are okay with euthanasia, while 63% of those who chose the opposition Frente Amplio would agree with such a legislative change, which has a much stronger acceptance among left-wing adherents than it has within conservative circles.

Among those who do not consider themselves religious, 65% support the legalization of euthanasia, while among believers (of any religion) only 44% do so. However, even among believers, those who oppose it are a minority: 34%.

Based on the experience of other countries, support or rejection of euthanasia will depend at the end of the day on the specific wording of the law, analysts agree.

Cifra's study was conducted by telephone among 806 people between May 17 and 25, 2022.