PARIS, April 15 (Reuters) – Marine Le Pen on Friday denied any “backtracking” on a draft referendum on reinstating the death penalty in France if elected President of the Republic.
Asked about the subject on Thursday on France 2, the candidate of the National Rally, which proposes to set up a citizens’ initiative referendum, had however declared that “the question of the death penalty could go through a referendum”. “Everything could pass by referendum except what goes against the Constitution”, she had nevertheless added.
It is this point that she invoked on Friday, when, to a new question on such a referendum, she answered in a more decisive way on BFMTV and RMC: “We cannot, it is unconstitutional.”
She insisted a few hours later in front of journalists during a trip to Pertuis, in the Vaucluse: “I do not believe that there is a backtracking. I have always said it, the citizens’ initiative referendum cannot change the Constitution, I have said it over and over again.”
The Constitution of the Fifth Republic provides, in its article 66-1, that “no one may be condemned to the death penalty”.
Other provisions also provide that a constitutional revision can only take place on the initiative of the President of the Republic or of members of Parliament. If it is adopted by Parliament, the text must then be submitted for referendum, unless the Head of State prefers the path of Congress when he is at the origin of the draft revision.
Marine Le Pen, however, does not seem to be considering organizing a referendum on capital punishment herself if she is elected President of the Republic against outgoing Head of State Emmanuel Macron on April 24.
“I actually think that the French would not vote for it (the reinstatement of the death penalty-Editor’s note) for a simple reason, which is that I would put in place real life (…) what the French want” , she said Thursday on France 2.
“In addition, I am opposed to it,” she said on Friday on BFMTV and RMC. (Written by Bertrand Boucey, said by Nicolas Delame)