The death of the former socialist minister triggered almost unanimous emotion. But will certain political groups oppose his pantheonization?
Of Jean-Luc Mélenchon to Marine Le Pen, passing of course by Emmanuel Macron, the political class saluted the memory of Robert Badinter, died Friday February 9. The former socialist Minister of Justice was recognized, beyond his political family, as an essential figure of the 20th century and as the father of the abolition of the death penalty. To the point that the question of his pantheonization was quickly raised. But is this perspective so unanimous?
The first secretary of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure sent a letter to Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday February 13 to plead for Robert Badinter’s entry into the Pantheon. The idea has already made its way into the head of state’s mind, according to his entourage, who told Franceinfo that the subject had been raised with the family of the former Minister of Justice. “It is, as always, a choice that belongs to the family and only to the family,” recalls a source close to the president.
“The incarnation of this left of the culture of excuse”
Who could oppose the pantheonization of Robert Badinter? For the moment, only one figure from the political forefront has clearly said he is against it: the head of the list of the Reconquest party in the European elections, Marion Maréchal. “From the moment I disagree with his political record and the political choices that were his, I am not going to tell you that I am for his placement in the Pantheon,” declared the former RN MP on BFMTV on Sunday February 11th.
While recognizing in Badinter “a certain oratorical talent” and “great fights”, Marion Maréchal described his record at the Ministry of Justice as “the incarnation of this left of the culture of excuse, of the end of repressive policy, alternative sentences in prisons, which moreover, when it abolishes the death penalty, does not put in place a real dissuasive alternative sentence.”
“The abolition of the death penalty was a mistake”
Same speech from the boss of Reconquête Eric Zemmour, who highlighted on Monday on France 2 “fundamental disagreements” with Robert Badinter, “the Minister of Justice who accelerated the laxity of justice”, in his words. Zemmour even judged that “the abolition of the death penalty” had been “an error” because it had “undermined the hierarchy of sanctions”. The former presidential candidate, however, did not comment on the idea of pantheonization.
For the moment, the Republicans and the National Rally have not officially expressed themselves on the subject either. “We could not share all of Robert Badinter’s struggles, but this man of convictions was undoubtedly a striking figure in the intellectual and legal landscape,” wrote Marine Le Pen on X last Friday. To the point of supporting his entry into the Pantheon? The president of the RN should not be able to escape the question for long.