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Macron warns against restarting death penalty debate as executions rise around the world

French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Tuesday against a renewed debate in favour of the death penalty and said he was appalled by the rising…

By Samantha Johnson / June 30, 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Tuesday against a renewed debate in favour of the death penalty and said he was appalled by the rising number of executions around the world.

Addressing the ninth World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Paris, Macron said opposition to capital punishment is needed “because today this debate is resurfacing in our societies”.

“Because today many in our societies once again believe that the death penalty is a solution, amid a confusion of principles and language,” he said.

He described the fight against the death penalty as a fight for human dignity and of the utmost relevance.

While the world had never been so close to abolishing the death penalty, there had never been so many executions in the countries that continued to practise it, he said.

“The number of executions even reached its highest level since 1981 last year: 2,707 people were executed by the authorities in 17 countries alone,” Macron said.

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