Robert Badinter enters the Panthéon in a solemn ceremony
Robert Badinter, lawyer and former justice minister, was interred at the Panthéon on October 9 in a grave and gathered ceremony. Emmanuel Macron praised his voice as carrying the ideals of France and the Republic. The event unfolded before a large crowd, with republican tributes and political figures in attendance.
The ceremony for Robert Badinter's (1928-2024) entry into the Panthéon took place on Thursday, October 9, at the heart of a large and gathered crowd. As his wife had wished, the event was grave, calm, and solemn. Badinter rests symbolically beside the heirs of the Enlightenment, such as the abbé Grégoire, Gaspard Monge, and Nicolas de Condorcet, to whom he had dedicated a meticulous biography with Elisabeth Badinter: Condorcet. An Intellectual in Politics (Fayard, 1988).
A dense hour of republican homage unfolded before the resigning ministers Sébastien Lecornu, Gérald Darmanin, and Rachida Dati, as well as former prime ministers and protocol guests. Dominique de Villepin chatted with Michel Barnier, while Gérard Larcher, president of the Senate, conversed with François Bayrou. François Hollande arrived at the last minute, and Nicolas Sarkozy abstained.
The personalities were inside the republican temple, but when the images reached the public gathered on rue Soufflot, whistles rang out, replacing the parade of politicians on the giant screens with Badinter's noble profile. In his speech, Emmanuel Macron stated that « the voice of the lawyer and former justice minister carries the ideals of France and the Republic ».
His struggles, which span the centuries, were honored in this touching ceremony, marking Badinter's entry into the Panthéon.