Anti-Semitism in Italy – Meloni criticizes the left
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, in an interview with Il Foglio, criticized the left-wing camp for its lenient attitude toward anti-Semitism. The occasion was parliamentary disputes over a bill enshrining the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism. Meloni cited a rally on September 9 where flags of Hamas and Hezbollah appeared, and accused the opposition of division.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sharply criticized left-wing political forces, accusing them of a lenient attitude toward anti-Semitism. In an interview with Il Foglio, published on September 12, she stated that a significant part of the left-wing electorate is incapable of uncompromising condemnation of discrimination, allowing for the existence of "morally acceptable" anti-Semitism. The trigger for the disputes was a bill enshrining the official definition of anti-Semitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). The document passed the Senate and was submitted to the Chamber of Deputies. Meloni recalled that her party, Brothers of Italy, had promoted a similar initiative when a commission was established under the leadership of Holocaust survivor Liliana Segre, but the then-majority rejected the proposal. During the Senate vote, the Democratic Party abstained, while the Five Star Movement and the left-green bloc voted against. To support her words, Meloni cited a rally on September 9 near the Montecitorio building, where flags of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran appeared, along with slogans supporting terrorist organizations. Politicians from left-wing parties left the event before the radical symbols appeared.