Robert Badinter to Enter the Panthéon on October 9
The former Justice Minister and advocate against the death penalty will be honored in a ceremony marking the anniversary of the abolition of capital punishment in France.
Robert Badinter, the former resistance fighter and Minister of Justice, is set to enter the Panthéon on October 9, a date that commemorates the enactment of the law abolishing the death penalty in France, which he championed.
The announcement was made by sources close to President Emmanuel Macron.
Badinter's lifelong dedication to the campaign against the death penalty culminated in the successful passage of legislation on October 9, 1981, effectively ending the practice in France.
In a tribute following Badinter's death on February 9, 2024, President Macron stated that his name would be inscribed alongside those who have significantly contributed to human progress and to France.
Born into a Jewish family that emigrated from Bessarabia, now part of Moldova, Badinter witnessed his father's arrest in Lyon during World War II, an event that tragically led to his father's death in deportation.
In acknowledging Badinter's legacy, Macron referred to him as 'the Republic made man' and a 'force who seizes life from the hands of death.'
Additionally, it was reported that historian and resistance member Marc Bloch would also be honored with a Panthéonization ceremony on June 16, 2026, marking 82 years since his execution by the Gestapo.
Macron previously praised Bloch's 'courage' and 'lucidity' as vital contributions to French history.
Family members of Bloch have expressed a desire for the ceremony to be free from participation by the far-right, in a letter addressed to the President.
Bloch, who was arrested in Lyon on March 8, 1944, was imprisoned, tortured, and subsequently executed on June 16 of that year alongside 29 fellow prisoners.
While it has been reported that the families of Badinter and Bloch do not wish for a 'transfer' of remains to the Panthéon, cenotaphs will be erected to honor both figures, recognizing their significant contributions to the nation, in accordance with the inscription on the Panthéon's façade, which pays tribute to those whom the country deems 'grateful.'
Emmanuel Macron's initiative continues a long-term memorial project focusing on significant figures from the end of World War II in France, with four other notable individuals—Simone Veil, Maurice Genevoix, Joséphine Baker, and Missak Manouchian—already honored in this historic site.
Under the Fifth Republic, decisions regarding Panthéonization are solely the responsibility of the President.
The announcement was made by sources close to President Emmanuel Macron.
Badinter's lifelong dedication to the campaign against the death penalty culminated in the successful passage of legislation on October 9, 1981, effectively ending the practice in France.
In a tribute following Badinter's death on February 9, 2024, President Macron stated that his name would be inscribed alongside those who have significantly contributed to human progress and to France.
Born into a Jewish family that emigrated from Bessarabia, now part of Moldova, Badinter witnessed his father's arrest in Lyon during World War II, an event that tragically led to his father's death in deportation.
In acknowledging Badinter's legacy, Macron referred to him as 'the Republic made man' and a 'force who seizes life from the hands of death.'
Additionally, it was reported that historian and resistance member Marc Bloch would also be honored with a Panthéonization ceremony on June 16, 2026, marking 82 years since his execution by the Gestapo.
Macron previously praised Bloch's 'courage' and 'lucidity' as vital contributions to French history.
Family members of Bloch have expressed a desire for the ceremony to be free from participation by the far-right, in a letter addressed to the President.
Bloch, who was arrested in Lyon on March 8, 1944, was imprisoned, tortured, and subsequently executed on June 16 of that year alongside 29 fellow prisoners.
While it has been reported that the families of Badinter and Bloch do not wish for a 'transfer' of remains to the Panthéon, cenotaphs will be erected to honor both figures, recognizing their significant contributions to the nation, in accordance with the inscription on the Panthéon's façade, which pays tribute to those whom the country deems 'grateful.'
Emmanuel Macron's initiative continues a long-term memorial project focusing on significant figures from the end of World War II in France, with four other notable individuals—Simone Veil, Maurice Genevoix, Joséphine Baker, and Missak Manouchian—already honored in this historic site.
Under the Fifth Republic, decisions regarding Panthéonization are solely the responsibility of the President.
