Italian PM Meloni Accuses Left of Tolerating 'Morally Acceptable' Antisemitism

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that a significant portion of the left-wing electorate struggles to condemn all forms of antisemitism unequivocally, effectively allowing for a "morally acceptable" version. Meloni made these remarks in a September 12 interview with Il Foglio newspaper editor-in-chief Claudio Cerasa.

Cerasa inquired why the Italian right has prioritized combating antisemitism in recent years and if Meloni perceived similar commitment from the opposition. Meloni responded that opposing all forms of antisemitism should be a shared goal for all national cultural, social, and political forces. She noted that current debates surrounding an anti-antisemitism bill mirror discussions from the previous parliamentary term regarding the creation of the Segre Commission, a parliamentary body focused on intolerance, racism, antisemitism, and hate speech, led by Holocaust survivor and Senator Liliana Segre.

Meloni recalled that her party, Brothers of Italy, had proposed adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. This, she explained, would encompass not only Nazi-fascist antisemitism but also forms linked to Islamic fundamentalism that advocate for Israel's destruction. She stated that the then-ruling majority rejected this proposal, but it is now back on the agenda, dividing the left.

Meloni then leveled a sharper accusation, asserting that a substantial part of the left's electorate finds it difficult to condemn all antisemitic expressions without reservation, believing a "morally acceptable" form can exist. As an example, she cited a recent demonstration outside the Chamber of Deputies on September 9, which protested the anti-antisemitism bill currently under consideration. "The presence of people praising Hamas at the latest demonstration at Montecitorio also testifies to this," Meloni said.

The bill, which has passed the Senate and includes the IHRA definition, has caused significant division among Italian left-wing parties. In the Senate, the Democratic Party abstained on the final vote, though six of its senators supported the measure. The Five Star Movement and the Greens and Left Alliance voted against it. The September 9 demonstration reportedly saw Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian flags, with pro-Hamas slogans. According to Il Foglio, this led to internal conflict among protesters, with representatives from the Democratic Party and the Five Star Movement reportedly leaving before the pro-Hamas flags appeared.