ERICA ZEMAN

How do European Governments and Institutions address Antisemitism and are their efforts sufficient?

ERICA ZEMAN 

In this podcast I will speak of European Governments less mentioned in previous discussions.

Italy: This country finds itself in a difficult position, as PM Georgia Meloni is under severe pressure to acknowledge a ‘Palestinian State, which she says does not exist in aim to rebuild the Gazan Strip and democratic purposes to live peacefully with Israel! 

On the other hand, she has to keep a fine balance of not appearing as fascist party linked to Mussolini’s hatred toward the Italian Jewish Communities.

Italian’s left wing Democratic Party under the influence of Graziano Delrio, determines to redefine the term ‘ Anti-semitism’. The party views the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance  written in 2016, definition of Antisemitism in need of amendment and suited for Italy’s political landscape. The IHRA defines ;’ Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred towards Jews. Rhetoric and physical manifestations of Antisemitism are directed towards Jewish and non- Jewish individuals and/or their property, towards Jewish Communities, Institutions and religious facilities.’   This December 2025, the Democratic Party ushered in a bill to combat Antisemitism which is heavily criticised in the party as either too lenient in its prohibition to criticise Israel, where as other members of the DP, for example Pina Picierno, fully supports the New Bill. 

This Bill is aimed to be legally binding were as the IHRA definition is not!

Does the Italian Jewish Community think that this Bill will be a guarantee for safety and sufficient in these present days?

Advocates of Israel view this discussed bill as insufficient as it does not criminalise political slander but presents slur and aggressive antisemitic behaviour’ From the river to the sea.’ as part of legitimized freedom of speech. The opposite understanding is expressed by Maurizio Gasparri, who defines the role of the Italian government as such: ‘It is not law to protect the Israeli government, but it is to protect the Jews and the State of Israel’.*

According to ‘The Times of Israel’ Monica Osborne writes in her article~ Italy’s Jews are in danger” October26, 2025, that many Italian Jews and Children feel anxious while sitting in the classroom. If a State has no borders and deterrence towards  Antisemitism it accepts violence and persecution of Jewish people as the norm, which is not democracy, but anarchy.

*Servicio, ‘The Delrio Proposal’

Poland: Poland’s government underwent seemingly a change in retrospect of it’s recent history. The country’s former president Andrzei Duda congratulated the Populist Party line to criminalise in 2018 any statement expressing the support given by Poles to the Nazi regime during World War II. It added that Poland had not been involved in any antisemitism: a declaration which was nullified as incorrect by Polish historians from 2023 onwards.

However, Paula Sawicka point out in her article ‘ Antisemitism in Poland: the shadow of the past, the challenges of the present ,’that antisemitism is still an endemic problem and embedded as prevalent in the Polish language. It is seen as the norm for centuries in Polish Catholic Society, which does not take the reform movement of the Vatican seriously.

Even the recent reading and reminder of Pope Leo XIV addressing all Catholics as brothers and sisters, who need to apply themselves to the principle of brotherhood toward the Jewish people as it is written in the document of ‘Nostra Aetate’ (1965) has been  largely ignored in Poland..Polish loyalty lies in its devotion to Polish Catholicism and as Professor Stanislav Obirek describes that the Catholic Canon resists any change of antipathy towards Jewish people since centuries. 

Although Poland has followed suit as member of the EU, the UN, and the NATO in implementing anti racial and religious liberties in the Constitution, the country still views the Jewish people as evil, non-trustworthy, greedy and bend to take advantage of their sufferings.

Does the Polish government combat Antisemitism sufficiently?

In this year of 2025, there are 80-20,000 Jewish people living in Poland. A number of them wish to reconnect with their family’s past home and connect with the place of their forefathers. The primary motivation is to know their family history better, in spite of the upheavals of antisemitic harassments since October 2023. The Polish government is seen as lacking in motivation to keep the Jewish communities safe and is still withholding the restitution of Jewish property in Poland.

Denmark: The Times of Israel journalist Zev Stub wrote on the 4th December 2025 that the rise of Antisemitic incidences had increased from 9 in 2022 to 500 since 2023. This is a shocking realisation that the 7th October 2023 Hamas massacre in Israel unleashed further evil in Europe. But, the Danish government under the Justice minister Peter Hummelgaard insists that it will take ‘tough and firm consequences for those spreading hate’.

Further on the government developed a $18.7 million pan to fight Antisemitism through educating about the danger of antisemitism in schools and explained as destructive force on Danish civil democratic liberties. Seventeen new initiatives to combat Antisemitism are activated so that Danish Jews can feel safe and appreciated in the country.

The question is, does the Danish Jewish Community feels safe was analysed by the Institut For Menneske Rettigheder of Copenhagen. From describing the immediate reaction of unease, non-comprehension how to interact with Jewish employees to being collectively made responsible for Israel’s decision to defend the country and call the terrorist to account after October 7th 2023 was the experience of many. Some Jewish people interviewed, encounter Antisemitism on a daily basis in every public location of shops, public transport, and work places. The lack of understanding Judaism by Christian and Muslim neighbours is seen as main obstacles to live freely as religious Jews in Denmark.

Antisemitic hate speech is criminalised in section 266b of the Danish Criminal Code, but the fact that Danish Jewish citizens frequently avoid calling the authority of police is based on the attitude and experience that it will not change their daily situations encountered.

Norway: The country has acknowledged a ‘Palestine State on 28th May 2024, as aftermath responds to the 7th October 2023 massacres of Hamas terrorists and the subsequent war between Israel and the terror organisation in Gaza. The Norwegian government criminalises hate speech with fines and imprisonment up to one year, yet protestors of’ Free Palestine ‘ were allowed to shout their lies and  slogans against Israel in the recent demonstrations from the 11-13th October 2025. The attempt to hinder Israeli football teams to come to Norway (or the U. K.) has been contradictory to Norway’s law.

Norway’s government new action plan against Antisemitism is set for ten years 2025-2035.

This plan aims to educate children and teenagers via The Pathfinder program to confront antisemitism in pointing out the devaluation of Norway’s democratic lifestyle and post Second World War legacy. The program also promises security for Jewish Citizens, education about Judaism in schools and visibility of the Jewish communities to foster understanding of Jewish life and religious adherences. 

Are the efforts of the Norway government sufficient? Norway’s Jewish population presents 1,500-2,000 people. Although the Government intends to safe guard Jewish members of Norwegian society, but has not implemented the new plan to every Institution as antisemitic posters are exhibited in public and ‘Free Palestine’ support is shown in hospitals.

The European Jewish Congress published the concerns of Jewish medical professionals signed by Marius Garder, Chairman of the Jewish Community in Oslo in March 2025, which expressed the fear of Jewish people facing the need for medical care and observing the outspoken Anti-Israel sentiments. 

The question if European governments effort to combat Antisemitism is sufficient can’t  be answered  easily as Europe needs to choose to withstand Islamisation effectively and in a committed attitude do so in order to be able to protect Jewish Communities.