A debate has arisen within the Rassemblement National over the restoration of the death penalty. Party spokesman Laurent Jacobelli stated that a referendum on the death penalty could be considered if the public wanted one, but party vice-president Sébastien Chenu clearly denied this statement.
“No, restoring the death penalty is not part of the party’s policy,” Chenu said, making it clear that the RN’s official position remains unchanged. Instead, the party is focusing on making criminal law stricter without reintroducing the death penalty.
The starting point of the controversy was Jacobelli’s remarks concerning particularly serious sexual crimes against minors. He said that if the French public demanded a referendum on the matter, then such a possibility should at least be discussed. His comments immediately sparked fierce political reactions and also caused confusion within the RN.
Chenu’s distancing shows that the party leadership is trying to ensure that no doubts arise about the official position. Marine Le Pen has also repeatedly expressed opposition to restoring the death penalty in recent times. The Rassemblement National’s current party platform likewise contains no call for reintroducing the death penalty.
Politically, this issue is particularly sensitive in France. The death penalty was abolished in 1981 by Justice Minister Robert Badinter. Today, restoring the death penalty is virtually impossible due to the French Constitution and international obligations such as the European Convention on Human Rights. A return to the death penalty would require fundamental changes to constitutional and European law.
This controversy highlights the difficult balancing act faced by the Rassemblement National between tough rhetoric on security policy and its position as a party capable of governing. The swift correction of Jacobelli’s remarks indicates that the party leadership intends to avoid contradictory signals on key social policy issues.
Author: Andreas M. Brucker