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French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the ninth World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Paris, warning that the fight against capital punishment remains "eminently contemporary" and that abolition cannot be treated as a foregone conclusion. His remarks come as global executions rise and some democracies see renewed political support for the death penalty.

Speaking on Tuesday, Macron said that "many people pretend to believe that it is a foregone conclusion," but "the risks remain in many countries – and nothing can be taken for granted." The congress, organized by the NGO Together Against the Death Penalty, is held from 30 June to 2 July at venues across Paris.

Coverage comparison

The two outlets that covered the event — RFI and the South China Morning Post — both focused on Macron's warning and his description of rising executions. Both attributed the renewed debate to a "confusion of principles and language," a phrase Macron used in his address.

RFI reported that France abolished the death penalty in 1981, and highlighted Macron's assertion that the fight to abolish it is "eminently contemporary." The outlet also reported that 114 states have now definitively abolished capital punishment and that 47 countries still retain it, with China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq carrying out the highest number of executions in 2024.

The South China Morning Post quoted Macron saying he was "appalled" by the rising number of executions worldwide, and provided concrete figures: the number of executions reached its highest level since 1981 last year, with 2,707 people executed by authorities in 17 countries alone, and some 25,000 people living under the expectation of their execution.

Both reports noted that the fight against the death penalty is not over, but they approached the news with a similar tone: opposition to capital punishment, echoing Macron's own stance. Neither outlet suggested that Macron's speech was controversial; instead, they framed it as a call to action.

Key claims

  • Macron said the fight to abolish the death penalty remains "eminently contemporary."
  • France abolished the death penalty in 1981.
  • 114 states have now definitively abolished capital punishment.
  • 47 countries still retain the death penalty.
  • China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq carried out the highest number of executions in 2024 (per RFI).
  • Macron said he was appalled by the rising number of executions (per SCMP).
  • The number of executions reached its highest level since 1981 last year, with 2,707 people executed in 17 countries (per SCMP).
  • Approximately 25,000 people are living under the expectation of their execution (per SCMP).

Context and nuances

Both reports noted that Macron's warning comes amid a rise in executions globally and a resurgence of pro-death penalty sentiment in some democracies, including France itself. RFI reported that a CSA poll published on 14 June by CNews, Europe 1, and the Journal du Dimanche found that 68 percent of French people supported holding a referendum on reinstating the death penalty for crimes against children. That poll followed several high-profile child murder cases, including the death of 11-year-old Lyhanna and 17-year-old Louis.

Macron's own rhetoric was firm. He told the congress, "The death penalty has never made a society safer. Never," because it does not act as a deterrent. "This has been demonstrated, observed and measured," he said. In a post on X, he added that "the existential struggle for the abolition of the death penalty is never a foregone conclusion."

The South China Morning Post quoted Macron's support for civil society: "Ultimately, the cause of worldwide abolition of the death penalty cannot be advanced without the indispensable mobilisation of civil society, non-governmental organisations and human rights defenders who are the driving forces behind the movement to abolish the death penalty."

Neither report mentioned any dissent or opposing viewpoints at the congress, but the presence of a pro-death penalty sentiment in France, as reflected in the poll, indicates that the debate is far from settled.

Conclusion

As the congress concludes on Thursday, Macron's speech sets a clear call for continued vigilance and mobilization. The reports underscore that while progress has been made—with a growing number of countries abolishing the penalty—the rising execution numbers and the revival of pro-capital punishment debates in some countries serve as a stark reminder that the fight is not over.