A debate has emerged within the National Rally about reinstating the death penalty. Party spokesperson Laurent Jacobelli had said that, if the public wished, a referendum could be considered to decide whether to restore the death penalty, but party vice-president Sébastien Chenu has now explicitly denied this.
“No, reinstating the death penalty is not part of our platform,” Chenu said, making it clear that the party’s official position remains unchanged. The party prefers to further strengthen criminal law rather than reintroduce the death penalty.
The controversy was triggered by Jacobelli’s remarks about particularly serious sexual crimes against minors. He had said that if the French public demanded a referendum on the matter, this possibility should at least be discussed. His comments immediately provoked strong political reactions and also caused a degree of confusion within the National Rally.
Chenu’s distancing shows that the party leadership is seeking to avoid doubts about its official position. In recent years, Marine Le Pen has repeatedly spoken out against reinstating the death penalty. The current National Rally platform also contains no such demand.
In France, the issue of the death penalty is politically highly sensitive. In 1981, Justice Minister Robert Badinter abolished the death penalty. Today, the French Constitution and international obligations, particularly the European Convention on Human Rights, make reinstatement of the death penalty almost impossible. Restoring it would require profound constitutional and European legal changes.
The controversy also reflects the National Rally’s delicate balance between tough security-policy rhetoric and its image as a party capable of governing. The swift correction of Jacobelli’s remarks indicates that the party leadership wants to avoid sending contradictory signals on key social and political issues.
Author: Andreas M. Brucker