politics
April 19, 2026
France withdraws controversial anti-Semitism bill ahead of debate
France has withdrawn a controversial anti-Semitism bill ahead of a parliamentary debate following backlash and a petition that drew mass opposition
TL;DR
- A controversial bill designed to combat renewed forms of anti-Semitism in France has been withdrawn by lawmakers.
- The bill, proposed by MPs from President Macron's Renaissance Party, aimed to broaden definitions related to terrorism apology and prohibit calls for the destruction of countries.
- Critics warned the legislation risked conflating anti-Semitism with criticism of Israel and could curtail free speech.
- A petition against the bill garnered over 700,000 signatures.
- The withdrawal comes amid a sharp rise in recorded anti-Semitic incidents in France, particularly following the Israel-Hamas conflict.
- Lawmakers may reintroduce a similar proposal by June.
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