Government presents draft law against antisemitism and racism

Paris – 09 July 2026: The French government on 9 July 2026 presented a draft law intended to tighten prosecution and increase sanctions for antisemitic and racist offences. Responsible is the Minister for Combating Discrimination, Aurore Bergé, who outlined a roadmap with a review in the Senate after the Sénatoriales in October and a final adoption still before the end of the year. The text was reportedly discussed in the Conseil des ministres and is expected to move quickly into the parliamentary process.

The core of the initiative is a strengthening of victim protection: recognised associations and civil society organisations should — with the explicit consent of those affected — be able more easily to file accessory complaints and initiate proceedings. The draft also provides for higher sentencing ranges for repeated or organised hate crimes as well as procedural adjustments to accelerate investigations. According to the government, this is intended to close gaps between reporting, evidence preservation and indictment, and to make prosecution more robust in cases of hate messages disseminated digitally.

Politically, the text is embedded in a broader package of measures. In parallel, Bergé presented a new national plan against racism, antisemitism and discrimination (Prado) with education, prevention and training components for the administration and schools. Provisions include, among other things, awareness modules in the public service and standardized contact points for victims. Critics from associations, however, complain that they were not sufficiently involved in drafting the bill; the government points to consultations and intends to clarify details in parliament.

Legal experts remind that any toughening of criminal law must preserve guarantees of press and freedom of expression. The dividing line between punishable incitement and sharp but permissible criticism remains contentious — especially in the digital sphere. Committees in both chambers are expected to closely sharpen definitions, the responsibilities of law enforcement authorities and time limits. Observers anticipate amendments on questions of burden of proof, on the relationship between criminal and press law, and on the role of specialized public prosecutor’s offices.

The proposed timetable increases the pressure: with a first reading in the Senate in October and subsequent transmission to the Assemblée nationale, only a narrow window would remain for the final vote before the end of the year. Opposition parties have announced intensive debates both on the effectiveness of tougher penalties and on preventive components. If parliament adopts the draft in 2026, it would be a clear signal of a legislative focus on combating hate crime. Whether the proposed instruments will accelerate investigations in practice and better protect victims will depend on implementation and on the final wording after the parliamentary process.