France's Yadan Law withdrawn by sponsors
France's controversial Yadan Law has been withdrawn by its centrist sponsors after facing mass opposition. The legislation would have criminalized criticism of Israel by integrating the IHRA definition of antisemitism into French law, prosecuting comparisons between Israeli policy and the Third Reich as hate speech, and making slogans like 'Free Palestine' criminal offenses as advocacy for terrorism. Opposition included 150,000 signatures on an online petition and pressure from both far-left Assembly members and right-wing citizens. The government had promised a watered-down version for late June, but with the Assembly entering recess on July 14, any delay would push consideration back weeks or months.
New details reveal a disagreement between the government and centrist Assembly members on the timeline, with the government promising a new draft while the Assembly plans a late June debate that risks postponement.
The government has promised to scrap parts of the law and summon new actors to create a new proposal with less restrictive measures, while centrist Assembly members have given a different follow-up.
The message provides additional details about the law's specific provisions and the opposition that led to its withdrawal, including the 150,000-signature petition and pressure from both far-left and right-wing groups.
