Italy Faces Political Crisis as Parliament Nears Vote on IHRA Definition
Italy's parliament is set to vote on adopting the IHRA antisemitism definition, sparking deep political divisions. While the right-wing coalition supports the move, the center-left opposition threatens to vote against it, claiming it restricts criticism of Israel amid rising tensions and antisemitic incidents.
Italy and its Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, have been among the strong nations in the European Union that have managed so far to prevent the anti-Israeli drift in Europe. At the same time, they worked to block attempts to impose significant economic and diplomatic sanctions on Israel. However, criticism within Italy over Meloni's avoidance of action against Israel is growing.
In addition, the level of criticism and hostility toward Israel—and particularly toward the Israeli government—rises almost daily, against the backdrop of its policy in Gaza, Lebanon, and the West Bank. Compounding this, a new political crisis has now emerged in Italy, and once again the focus on Israel and Jews is at the center of the country's political stage. In the coming days, the Italian parliament is expected to vote, after long months of discussions, on adopting the working definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
The Debate Over the IHRA Definition
The IHRA is an international body established at the initiative of the Swedish government nearly 30 years ago, aimed at promoting the fight against antisemitism alongside Holocaust remembrance, education, and research. Dozens of countries and organizations in the West have adopted the IHRA definition or parts of it over the years. The core debate surrounding the adoption of the definition revolves around the question of whether and in what manner certain expressions of anti-Zionism and criticism of Israel should be seen as antisemitism.
Among the examples listed in the definition are denial of the Jewish people's right to self-determination, denying Israel's right to exist, and applying double standards to Israel. Now the issue has become highly explosive in Italy, as parallel to the submission of the bill for final parliamentary approval, the Italian street is becoming increasingly hostile toward Israel.
Political Divisions and Opposition Stance
Many in the country claim that a "genocide" has taken place in Gaza and express outrage at the silence of the Italian government. The Italian Democratic Party (PD), the main center-left opposition party, announced that it will likely vote against the bill. On Wednesday, it boycotted the preliminary vote in a parliamentary committee ahead of advancing the bill for final approval.
The party opposes the law, as its senior officials and most members argue that it will prevent them from continuing to criticize Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A source in the Democratic Party told Reuters that the party views the definition of antisemitism included in the law as divisive. He called on the ruling right-wing coalition in the country to make changes to the phrasing, which is reportedly not expected to happen.
"We call on the coalition to listen to our appeals and change the divisive definition, and to clearly state that those who criticize the actions of the Israeli government cannot be accused of antisemitism," said PD parliament member Chiara Braga.
Voices from the Holocaust Survivors and the Jewish Community
Liliana Segre, an Italian Holocaust survivor, senator for life, and one of the most important and beloved figures in the country, stated recently that she "finds it hard to believe the very division among parties over such an important issue as the fight against antisemitism." Segre, a leader of the struggle for education against antisemitism and racism, clarified that adopting the IHRA definition does not prevent criticism of Israel at all, and reiterated that she also opposes the policy of Netanyahu's government.
In the Italian Jewish community, where anxiety levels are constantly rising due to the surge in antisemitism in the country, Segre's call to adopt the definition in law was welcomed, with reminders that the law does not ban criticism of Israeli governments. Italian authorities recorded at least 963 antisemitic incidents in 2025, more than double the number in 2022.
