Under the fire of protests, the Yadan bill on anti-Semitism is weakened in the Assembly. Deprived of the support of part of the central bloc, it sees its chances of adoption reduced, while its examination, scheduled for Thursday April 16 and Friday April 17, is made uncertain by the obstruction of the Rebels.
Pushed by the government, this text aims to fight against new forms of anti-Semitism, sometimes hidden behind anti-Zionism.
Supported by MP Caroline Yadan (Renaissance), elected from the constituency of French people living abroad including Israel, it is intended to be a response to the explosion of anti-Semitic acts in the wake of the attack of October 7, 2023 by Hamas on Israeli soil.
But it gives rise to strong reservations. Its opponents believe that it would pose a risk to freedom of expression and would maintain a dangerous amalgamation between Jews and Israel.
A petition calling on deputies to vote against has collected more than 700,000 signatures on the National Assembly website, a massive mobilization to which are added several forums from the academic world and student demonstrations.
The government denounces a “disinformation campaign”
Wednesday evening, the magistrates’ union published a press release denouncing a text “unsuitable for the work of judges but also dangerous for public freedoms”. On Thursday, a new citizen gathering is planned from noon around the Palais Bourbon.
Also readWhy is the proposed law against “renewed forms of anti-Semitism” controversial?
The text plans to extend the scope of the offense of provocation and advocacy of terrorism, adding the notion of implicitness, while it creates a new offense punishing calls for the destruction of a State.
The government reiterated on Tuesday its “determination” to have it adopted through its Minister Delegate in charge of the Fight against Discrimination Aurore Bergé.
She denounced “massive attacks”, speaking of a “disinformation campaign”, recalling that the text was largely modified in the Law Commission, to take into account the recommendations of the Council of State.
But on the eve of its examination in the hemicycle scheduled for Thursday and Friday, with a solemn vote set for May 5, its adoption is more than uncertain.
Change in power relations
If the bill had been narrowly validated in committee in January, the balance of power has changed. The socialists who abstained were ultimately against. By denouncing a “vague” and “dangerous” text, they join the opposition of other left-wing groups, and in particular the very mobilized Insoumis.
Also readYadan bill: “A dangerous amalgam”
Then it was the MoDem group, support of the government, which hit the nail on the head by announcing on Tuesday that it was not in favor of a text which “is detrimental to the cause it intends to defend”. Against or abstention, its deputies reserve the choice depending on the debates.
The Liot, another centrist group, also expressed their discomfort, while deputies from the central bloc told AFP of their “annoyance”. “It’s difficult not to vote for a text that fights anti-Semitism, but it gets everyone drunk,” confides a Renaissance elected official.
For LR Philippe Juvin, this proposed law is necessary, but “certain elements pose a problem”, in particular the notion of “implicit” in the offense of glorifying terrorism. He is counting on the parliamentary debate to modify it.
Former president François Hollande, co-signatory of his group’s reverse text with Jerôme Guedj, said he would vote for it if it was “corrected”, saying he heard the concerns of the academic world.
A government source says above all that they fear a lack of mobilization: “The guys from us no longer come”, which “puts us back in the hands of the National Rally”.
Deliberate obstruction of LFI
The examination still needs to begin while numerous texts precede that of Caroline Yadan on the agenda.
“We will do everything to prevent the examination of the PPL Yadan in the hemicycle from starting,” warned LFI MP Gabrielle Cathala on Wednesday, whose group practices deliberate obstruction. More than a hundred amendments were tabled on previous texts to slow down the arrival of the proposal.
The deputies of Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s movement, accused by his adversaries of anti-Semitism, see in the Yadan bill an attempt to silence voices defending the cause of the Palestinians, such as that of Rima Hassan.
They criticize the “Macronists” for banking on the votes of the National Rally, “delighted” to be able to thus “erase its history intimately linked to collaboration with Nazi Germany and anti-Semitism”, according to Gabrielle Cathala.
If adopted, the text will land on June 1 in the Senate.
With AFP
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
