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Macron Unveils Tougher Push Against Antisemitism, Targeting Officials and Social Media

New Interior Ministry figures show 1,320 antisemitic acts in 2025, keeping levels historically high for a third year.

France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of the murder of Ilan Halimi, a 23-year-old French Jew who was tortured and murdered in 2006, at The Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris, France, February 13, 2026.     BERTRAND GUAY/Pool via REUTERS
President Emmanuel Macron planted an oak tree in memory of Ilan Halimi, a 23-year-old French Jewish man tortured to death in 2006
President Emmanuel Macron and Ilan Halimi's sister Anne-Laure Abitbol
Ilan Halimi was kidnapped by a gang of youths in January 2006 and tortured in a low-income housing estate in a Paris suburb

Overview

  • France recorded 1,320 antisemitic acts in 2025, representing 53% of anti-religious incidents, a 16% decline from 2024 yet still elevated for three consecutive years.
  • At an Elysee ceremony marking 20 years since Ilan Halimi’s murder, President Emmanuel Macron denounced an “antisemitic hydra” and urged a nationwide mobilization.
  • Macron proposed mandatory electoral bans or ineligibility for elected officials found guilty of antisemitic or racist remarks.
  • He pressed major social media platforms to curb “digital hatred,” warning that France will trigger European law with significant fines if commitments fall short.
  • He framed France’s challenge within a broader European rise, with Britain reporting 3,700 incidents in 2025 and Germany logging 8,627 cases linked in reporting to the post–Oct. 7 conflict.