Portugal’s parliament has voted in favour of allowing euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill people.

The landmark vote leaves Portugal poised to become one of the few countries in the world permitting the procedures.

However, the country’s president could still attempt to block it.

Portugal Euthanasia
A demonstrator during a protest outside the Portuguese parliament (Armando Franca/AP)

The Republican Assembly, Portugal’s parliament, approved five right-to-die bills, each by a comfortable margin.

Left-of-centre parties introduced the bills, which had no substantial differences.

Before politicians voted, hundreds of people outside parliament building protested the measures.

One banner said: “Euthanasia doesn’t end suffering, it ends life.”

Some protesters held up crucifixes and religious effigies.