Rising Antisemitism in French Far-Left Sparked by LFI's Ideological Shift

Denis Olivennes, author of "Dictionnaire amoureux des Juifs de France," highlighted a disturbing rise in antisemitism within France, particularly among the far-left electorate associated with La France insoumise (LFI). Speaking on Le Figaro TV, Olivennes criticized LFI for breaking from the traditional leftist opposition to antisemitism and becoming a key vector of ambiguity on the issue, representing a substantive rupture with Republic values. He attributed this new antisemitism to a radical anti-Zionism that equivocates all Jews with the Israeli government's policies, using the label "Zionist" as an exclusionary insult that undermines Israel's right to exist. Olivennes described this as a dangerous syllogism where Jews are collectively blamed based on accusations against Israel and warned about the detrimental impact on French Jewish citizens, who feel abandoned amid recent Middle East violence.

This rise coincides with unrest within the left, reflected by Cédric Brun’s departure from LFI over its ideological shift on secularism and priority issues following the October 7 Hamas attack. Political tensions also emerged during protests in Paris, where Socialist leaders faced hostility, and the left lost most key Assembly positions amidst shifting alliances. These events collectively underscore a fracturing political left grappling with complex questions around identity, secularism, and attitudes toward Israel, intensifying challenges around antisemitism in France’s far-left sphere.