“For an Anne Bert Law”

This article examines how French author Anne Bert, who received euthanasia in Belgium, produced several cultural productions that influenced France’s assisted-dying debate. It therefore highlights the profound impact of individual storytelling on legislative discourse. Primarily through her memoir, blog posts, and open letters, Bert framed her story as part of a universal quest for autonomy and advocated for systemic change. French lawmakers appropriated her narrative, incorporating it into legislative debates that shaped Draft Bill 288, which sought to legalize euthanasia in France. The article explores the specific narrative strategies used in Bert’s legal advocacy and by the deputies who cited her story in order to further legislative change. Foregrounding the convergence of law and cultural production, the article reveals the challenges associated with weaving advocacy narratives into law-making

Art · Legalization · Literature · Narrative · Political science · Sociology · Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning · Health, Medicine and Society · Law · Legal and cultural studies analysis