Overview

• Gérald Darmanin issued a circular instructing prosecutors to deliver a very firm criminal response to antisemitic acts and speech.
• Prosecutors are told to apply the general aggravating circumstance to antisemitic offences, allowing higher maximum prison terms.
• The guidance requires systematic investigations when an elected official or civil servant reports an antisemitic act under article 40 of the criminal procedure code.
• The Interior Ministry separately told prefects to block Palestinian flags on public buildings on Monday, citing public service neutrality.
• Authorities logged 646 antisemitic acts in the first half of 2025, down 27.5% from the same period in 2024 but up 112.5% versus 2023, as France plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN.