The changing shape of antisemitism in France

New research conducted in France has uncovered concerning developments about the nature of antisemitism in the country.

A survey commissioned by the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF), conducted by Ipsos, revealed that young people on the far left are becoming increasingly antisemitic.

The results of the survey, “The French View of antisemitism and the Situation of French Jews in 2024,” were published in Le Point magazine on Thursday.

One method of measuring antisemitism is to present common antisemitic tropes to participants, inviting them to express the level of their agreement.

The research employed 16 such stereotypes, among them: Jews have very powerful lobbies that operate at high levels; Jews use the Holocaust to achieve their interests; Jews are richer than the average French person; and Jews are too present in the banking sector, along with less common tropes such as that Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus, that Jews have too much power, and Jews control the media. 

The survey found that only 3% of respondents rejected all the stereotypes presented, while 46% embraced six or more. In addition, 55% of those holding such views were politically affiliated with the far-left party "La France Insoumise (LFI)."

“It’s a historical reversal of the political map,” Brice Teinturier, CEO of Ipsos, told Le Point. “LFI is now competing with the far Right for leadership in antisemitism.”

“There has been an upheaval in the types of French people who express anti-Jewish opinions,” he added.

The age group with the highest levels of antisemitic views was 25-34, a trend that Jonathan Arfi, president of CRIF, attributed to the use of social media and lower levels of education.

“It is very violent, and contrary to the historical trend,” said Arfi. “Young people are more receptive to antisemitic, Islamist, and conspiracy theories, which are invading social networks.”

The survey revealed that nearly one in five (17%) within that younger age bracket believed it would be a good thing for Jews to leave France, compared to 12% among all ages. The general statistic has doubled from 6% in 2020.

Arfi held the far-left LFI party responsible in part for the troubling findings of the research.

“LFI has given antisemitism a political legitimacy,” he said, adding, “We observe this toxic porosity between criticism of Israel and the ostracizing of French Jews. The Palestinian cause becomes a license to hate.” 

Among the general population, positive views toward Israel (21%) were slightly higher than toward Palestine (18%). However, among LFI supporters, one in four expressed sympathy for the Hamas terrorist organization. In addition, 75% of respondents believe the Iron Swords War in Gaza, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, is responsible for the rise in antisemitism in France.

An encouraging 89% of respondents stated that there is no justification for antisemitic words or actions. However, 79% believe that antisemitism is now widespread in France, with only 2% disagreeing. A significant majority (70%) said that antisemitism is on the rise.