French Bill targeting anti-Semitism sparks free speech row

PARIS – A French Bill aimed at combating what supporters call “new forms of anti-Semitism,” such as calls for Israel’s destruction, has ignited a fierce political battle, as critics warn it could restrict free speech.

The legislation, introduced by centrist lawmaker Caroline Yadan, is scheduled for debate in the National Assembly next week.

But opposition has mounted sharply.

A petition against it surpassed 500,000 signatures this week – a threshold that can trigger a separate parliamentary debate and underscores the intensity of public concern.

The issue has tapped into disputes over how France should fight anti-Semitism – a politically charged issue in a country home to both Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim populations. 

The Bill would make it illegal to call for the destruction of a state recognised by France – a provision supporters say targets rhetoric such as calls for Israel’s elimination, rather than criticism of its government or policies. 

It would also broaden the definition of “apology for terrorism” to include speech that implicitly justifies terrorist acts, with violations punishable by up to five years in prison.

“Today, anti-Jewish hatred in our country is fuelled by an obsessive hatred of Israel, whose very existence is regularly delegitimised and criminalised,” the Bill’s text states.

“This hatred of the State of Israel is now inseparable from hatred of Jews.”

The urgency, supporters argue, is backed by stark numbers.

Authorities recorded 1,320 anti-Semitic acts in 2025, accounting for more than half of all racist or anti-religious incidents – despite Jews making up less than 1 per cent of France’s population.

Incidents over the past three years have reached their highest levels in a quarter century, prompting officials to repeatedly step up security around synagogues and Jewish sites.

The surge followed the Oct 7, 2023, Hamas attacks that killed roughly 1,200 people in Israel and triggered the ensuing war in Gaza. 

President Emmanuel Macron has since tried to walk a fine line between supporting Israel’s right to self-defence while sharply criticising the scope of its military campaign.

He has also consistently warned against what he calls “the hydra of anti-Semitism,” which he noted in a February speech has been rising for decades in France.

Ms Yadan says she sponsored the Bill to fight what she terms “contemporary anti-Semitism” that often cloaks itself in the rhetoric of progressive values and human rights. 

Opponents, including much of the left, counter that it risks conflating criticism of the Israeli government with anti-Semitism, potentially criminalising political expression, including activism, academic work and journalism.

“The framework of the Bill is blurry and could easily restrict freedom of speech,” senior Socialist lawmaker Arthur Delaporte said in an interview, citing concerns about the right to defend the Palestinian cause.

Some critics warn it could backfire, fueling resentment against the Jewish community and strengthening radical factions.

Government officials reject those criticisms, arguing the law is narrowly targeted.

“This Bill establishes a clear principle: France rejects calls for the destruction of a state, which inevitably lead to calls for the destruction of its people,” Ms Aurore Bergé, France’s minister for equality and the fight against discrimination, said in an interview with Bloomberg.

Criticism of the Israeli government is permitted and will remain so, she added.

The measure would build on France’s current laws targeting hate speech and banning Holocaust denialism.

“Before we keep piling up new legislation, it would be wise to enforce existing laws,” said Professor Jean-Yves Camus, a French political analyst.

“Current anti-Semitism legislation has been loosely enforced for several reasons, including because judges struggle to add anti-Semitism or racism motives.”

Still, the new Bill is backed by around 120 mostly centrist and right-wing lawmakers, including former prime ministers Gabriel Attal and Michel Barnier and former President Francois Hollande.

It passed the committee stage with support from Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party, but opposition has since coalesced across the left.

Doubts are also growing within Mr Macron’s own camp.

Allies including the centrist Democratic Movement have called for the Bill’s withdrawal, citing concerns about its effectiveness and the risk of inflaming tensions.

Other centrists worry the debate could inadvertently benefit the far right by allowing it to claim the mantle of fighting anti-Semitism.

The episode comes against a backdrop of recurring friction between Mr Macron and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The two have clashed over issues including France’s push for Palestinian statehood – a step Israel criticised as rewarding Hamas.

France’s foreign ministry also rebuked the US ambassador to France, Mr Charles Kushner, after he wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that France wasn’t doing enough to combat anti-Semitism.

France moved to recognise Palestine as an independent state at a United Nations conference in September.

With opposition now mounting even among centrist allies, lawmakers are weighing whether to proceed with a vote – or pull the Bill altogether. BLOOMBERG