Opinions on the death penalty: various countries

This is from the Angus-Reid Global Monitor.In Germany the support for the death penalty is 35% in Italy 31, Spain is lowest at 28% in spite of terrorist activity in the country for a long time.
Interesting that support is very weak in countries with former Fascist governments. Perhaps it is just a coincidence.


(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - A large majority of people in several countries, including the United States and Mexico, support the death penalty, according to a poll by Ipsos-Public Affairs released by the Associated Press. 71 per cent of respondents in Mexico and 69 per cent in the U.S. back the idea of sentencing convicted murderers to death.

In South Korea, 72 per cent of respondents agree, as well as half of respondents in Britain, 45 per cent in France, and 44 per cent in Canada. People in Germany, Italy and Spain are less inclined to support capital punishment.

The United Nations (UN) opposes the death penalty, but the punishment is legal in over 70 countries. Capital punishment was abolished in Mexico in 2005. Until then, the Mexican Constitution allowed the death penalty in certain circumstances—such as acts of treason—but no person was executed in the country for more than 50 years.

Since 1976, 1,072 people have been put to death in the United States, including 15 this year. More than a third of all executions have taken place in the state of Texas. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia do not engage in capital punishment, and moratoriums on executions have been issued in Illinois and New Jersey.