France pays tribute to Robert Badinter, the man who ended the death penalty

President Emmanuel Macron presided over the event, which marked Badinter’s induction into the nation’s most revered memorial.

Badinter, who died in February 2024 at the age of 95, is remembered as a moral and legal figure who helped reshape France’s justice system. Although not physically buried at the Panthéon, five symbolic objects representing his life’s work were placed inside the tomb, reflecting his lifelong dedication to justice and human dignity.

Born in 1928 to a Jewish family in Paris, Badinter’s experiences during the Second World War shaped his commitment to law and equality. He prosecuted Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie and later served as president of France’s Constitutional Council before spending 16 years in the Senate. His legacy as a defender of civil liberties and the abolition of capital punishment continues to define France’s modern vision of justice.