Democratic Party divided on the law against anti-Semitism: reformists criticize the 'no' vote

The Democratic Party's choice to vote "no" to the law against anti-Semitism is "a mistake". The day after the group's river meeting in the Chamber, the reformist minority made itself heard with the voices of deputy Piero Fassino and senator Walter Verini. But the concerns go beyond plain language statements. What filters through is a fear about the near future.

An alert has been raised among reformists: this repositioning is not a prelude to others, perhaps on Ukraine. And then they remember: in the Senate, in March, M5s and Avs voted "no" to the law against anti-Semitism, while the Pd had indicated abstention. So, there has already been an alignment. Which - they note - arrived a few days after the event in which the M5s reiterated its "no" to sending weapons to Ukraine and while Avs, which holds similar positions, warned: "On Kiev the agreement with the Democratic Party is not a given".

On paper, the Democratic Party's "no" to the law against anti-Semitism is not yet definitive. To vote "yes", secretary Elly Schlein asked the right to "change the divisive definition" borrowed from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) which, according to the reading of several commentators, would risk turning into censorship towards any criticism of the Israeli government. The appeal fell on deaf ears: "We will not change - the Fi senator Maurizio Gasparri cut short - Evidently in the Democratic Party they give in to the pressure of the proPal groups". In the Senate, at the vote in March, the Democratic Party's indication was for abstention, but six reformist representatives voted in favour. In the Chamber, there are five reformists: Lorenzo Guerini, Lia Quartapelle, Virginio Merola, Nicola Carè and Fassino. They will not vote "no", but they are still reflecting on which position to take: "The bill will not come to the chamber before mid-October, we will also agree in light of the developments of the discussion", is the explanation. In the group's meeting, even the deputy Paolo Ciani, secretary of Demos, did not hide his doubts, explaining that his decision on how to vote will be tormented: the law is poorly made - he basically argued - and the right does not want to make a serious, shared one, but the idea of ​​opposing a name against anti-Semitism is distressing. For Fassino "it is not true that this law limits the right to criticize the Israeli government. Harsher criticism of the Netanyahu government is right and proper, but this cannot translate into abandoning a firm and clear commitment against anti-Semitism". Senator Verini says he is "concerned. The law in no way prevents criticism and attacks on the Israeli government and Netanyahu. It was the inspiration for the proposal" from Democratic Party senator Graziano "Delrio, who had managed to remove any criminal significance from the law. If it had been a law that prevents dissent, I would not have voted for it". Criticisms of the official line of the Democratic Party have come from the Left for Israel, which speaks of an "incomprehensible about-face" and a "wound that is difficult to heal". The director of the Jewish Brigade Museum in Milan, Davide Romano, is also critical: "It is a betrayal not only of the Jewish community, but of the very values ​​of the left."