On June 30, French President Emmanuel Macron stated at the World Congress Against the Death Penalty, "The death penalty has never made society safer, never."
He pointed out that dictators often believe the death penalty has a strong deterrent effect, but in reality, it does not.
He stated: "In many parts of the world, the death penalty remains a reality. Last year saw the highest number of executions since 1981, with authorities from just 17 countries carrying out 2,707 executions."
He said: "The struggle to abolish the death penalty... is of significant contemporary relevance, because today, the debate on reinstating the death penalty has resurfaced. Because today, in our society, many people are beginning to think once again that the death penalty is an effective response to some situations."
Macron noted that maintaining the abolition of the death penalty is essential to the survival of democratic societies.
He said: "No matter what any one of us has done, we do not have the right to deny that they are one of us. This is the foundation of all our democratic societies."
Recently, an 11-year-old girl named Liana in southwestern France was killed by a repeat sex offender; 17-year-old Louis was beaten to death in Narbonne, France, and the attackers filmed the brutal assault while laughing. The public debate over reinstating the death penalty is spreading.
According to a survey published on June 14 by the French CSA Institute for CNEWS, Europe 1 Radio, and the Journal du Dimanche, more than two-thirds (68%) of French people said they would support a referendum to reinstate the death penalty for crimes against children.
The 9th World Congress Against the Death Penalty is being held in Paris from June 30 to July 2. The event is organized and coordinated by the French group "Together Against the Death Penalty" (ECPM).
ECPM noted that China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq are the four countries that carried out the most executions in 2024.
The Norway-based Iran Human Rights organization also pointed out that the Iranian authorities executed at least 1,639 people in 2025. This is the highest number recorded since 1989.