The Grand Duke would be excommunicated from the Catholic Church if he signed the document and he made a choice to prevent that from happening. As a Roman Catholic he CAN NOT sign it, even if he wanted to without risking the Pope telling him he can not receive sacraments any longer (which is what excommunication is). It's why his Uncle abdicated for a day. He's between a rock and a hard place here. It's his faith or a rubber stamp which apparently means nothing anyway. Easy choice, in my opinion. If Luxembourg wants a Catholic monarch, they had to have understood that would be the decision. It's not like the Church has changed their opinion on this type of issue from when his Uncle abdicated.
Total bogus.Who/whatever makes you think he would be excommunicated from the RC?Nonsense,absolutely nonsense,
they have nothing to do with it.Church and State are separated,even in catholic Luxembourg.They are no doubt happy with his decision,but had he signed,there would have been nothing,nothing at all they could,or would,have done.It is not of their business.
The Grand Duke has the right to veto a law,it is his prerogative so he has every right,and he used it in this case of the euthanasia law.
PM Juncker,who also opposes the euthanasia law btw but strongly feels it should be Parliament to decide,will now have a quick change of the Constitution to lift the right to veto by the Grand Duke.Rightfully so,a Constitutional Monarchy should not have a right to veto for the Monarch where parliament,and only them,are to decide.Due to his orthodox catholic faith (I am catholic myself but unlike Henri and his family,not holyer
than thou) he can not sign this law,at least that is what he feels,and can feel since he has the prerogative of vetoing anything.
That might have worked well in medieval times,but again,a Constitutional Monarch does have the right to be heared and consulted,but
when it comes to the actual execution of Law,signing of it after which it becomes law,that should be it,no obstruction of Laws decided
on by Parliament.That is how matters are done in the other european Monarchies too.
Oh well,it is a nice and sleepy Duchy,matters will calm down sooner then this thread is finished,it's just due to it's size,anything that
happens in that small beautifull little spot is blow'n up to disproportionate sizes and news agencies are always
eager to pick this sort of thing up as if there's a revolution of sorts at hand.There isn't.
Henri just opposed a very strict euthanasia law.Before anyone thinks that allowing euthanasia has people calling their GP's and ask for a shot to the heavens...NO that is not how that works.There is a very strict protocol,here that is,in The Netherlands.A patient must have severe pains and no sight at fully recuperating other than being,fi,paralised and in terrible pain,or in a terminal state due to fe cancer,MS etc..Two independent GP's will come and have a talk with you to check you know what you want and you're capable of expressing your will,and repeat that procedure within three weeks after which an awfull lot of papers and what not has to be filled in and another talk will take place in which a date and time is set.
(Awfull really,as I witnessed several times,not awfull in deeds,but hear/witness making an appointment for a certain day and a certain hour that the GP comes and delivers that awfull smelling drink) but it is the will of the patient.
More often then not,the entire procedure takes much longer then the patient has time of life.
Henri didn't set a foot wrong,but he should be stripped of his right to veto,Constitutional Monarchs do not have that,not here,not in Denmark and not in China...
