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Focus on the Fifth Republic: the abolition of the death penalty
The death penalty, or capital punishment, means executing a person found guilty of a serious crime (crime). The sentence is generally given after a trial.
Key points of the sheet
- For a long time, people thought the death penalty was essential for the safety of society. From 1700, intellectuals, philosophers, jurists and politicians wanted to ban it completely.
- In 1848, under the Second Republic, the death penalty is abolished for political crimes.
- In 1981, under the Fifth Republic, the death penalty is completely abolished. Robert Badinter, Minister of Justice of François Mitterrand, supported this abolition.
- This moment is a strong symbolic turning point in the history of human rights in France. Abolition is today a pillar of French republican values and a strong symbol of respect for human dignity.
- The law of 9 October 1981 definitively ends capital punishment in France.
- The constitutional law of 23 February 2007 writes abolition into the Constitution, in article 66-1. So it will be harder to bring back the death penalty.
Words to know
- capital punishment (peine capitale)
- It is another name for the death penalty: executing a person guilty of a serious crime.
- political crime (crime politique)
- Since 1848, no one can be sentenced to death for a political crime.
- constitutional law (loi constitutionnelle)
- The constitutional law of 23 February 2007 writes the abolition of the death penalty into the Constitution.
- article 66-1
- This article of the Constitution says that "no one can be sentenced to death".
- human dignity (dignité humaine)
- The abolition of the death penalty is a strong symbol of respect for human dignity.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Which Minister of Justice supported the complete abolition of the death penalty?
In French, the language of the exam: Quel ministre de la Justice a soutenu l'abolition totale de la peine de mort ?
Robert Badinter, Minister of Justice of François Mitterrand, supported the complete abolition in 1981.
In which year was the abolition of the death penalty written into the Constitution?
In French, the language of the exam: En quelle année l'abolition de la peine de mort entre-t-elle dans la Constitution ?
The constitutional law of 23 February 2007 writes abolition into the Constitution, in article 66-1.
In 1848, for which crimes is the death penalty abolished?
In French, the language of the exam: En 1848, pour quels crimes la peine de mort est-elle abolie ?
In 1848, under the Second Republic, the death penalty is abolished for political crimes.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
- In France, the death penalty is:
- Under which president is the death penalty abolished in France?
- Which penalty was abolished in 1981?
- Under which president was the death penalty abolished in France?
More in this topic (The Fifth Republic)
- Focus on the Fifth Republic: marriage for all
- Focus on the Fifth Republic: the right to abortion
- The presidents of the Fifth Republic (Vème République)
Source
Sheet “Focus sur la Vème République : l'abolition de la peine de mort” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.