Italian Senate Approves Anti-Semitism Bill Amidst Deep Divisions
Rome, Italy – The Italian Senate on Wednesday passed a bill aimed at combating anti-Semitism, but the vote revealed significant fractures within the governing coalition and opposition parties. The legislation passed with 105 votes in favor, 24 against, and 21 abstentions, and now moves to the Chamber of Deputies.
The bill, initially proposed by the League party, underwent revisions and no longer includes provisions for banning demonstrations or imposing criminal penalties. Despite these changes, it continues to spark debate over the definition of anti-Semitism and its potential impact on free speech.
The core of the controversy lies in the bill’s reliance on the working definition of anti-Semitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in 2016. Opponents, including members of the Five Star Movement (M5S) and the Alliance for Italy (Avs), fear the IHRA’s “indicators” could be used to unfairly label criticism of Israeli government policies as anti-Semitic.
“The definition is generic and one-sided,” said Peppe De Cristofaro of Avs, citing a case at Oxford University where a conference featuring filmmaker Ken Loach was reportedly blocked using the IHRA definition. The Democratic Party (PD) echoed these concerns, highlighting the potential for confusion between anti-Semitism and legitimate political critique of Israel.
A last-minute attempt by the PD to remove the reference to the IHRA indicators failed, with the center-right coalition arguing that doing so would render the bill ineffective.
The vote exposed deep divisions within the PD itself, with 21 of 36 senators abstaining. A group of so-called “reformist” Democrats, led by Graziano Delrio, voted in favor, despite disagreement from party leadership.
The outcome drew criticism from Liliana Segre, a Holocaust survivor and senator for life, who had hoped for broader consensus.
The debate also devolved into accusations, with Maxmiliano Romeo of the center-right suggesting the opposition was deliberately obstructing the bill at the behest of external forces. This prompted a sharp response from Alessandra Maiorino of the M5S, who accused Romeo’s coalition of hypocrisy. Ester Mieli of Brothers of Italy further fueled the controversy by questioning the M5S and PD’s evolving stance on anti-Semitism.
The PD leadership blamed the right for failing to compromise, while Delrio emphasized the importance of addressing the issue, stating the legislation breaks a “silence and timidity” within Italian democratic culture.
The bill’s passage marks a significant, though divisive, step in Italy’s efforts to address anti-Semitism. Its future remains uncertain as it moves to the Chamber of Deputies, where further debate and potential amendments are expected.
Source: ANSA
