The anti-Semitism bill in the Chamber of Deputies will be scheduled for the first week of November, without further delays. This is the hope of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI) in light of the Chamber of Deputies’ decision today to postpone the vote on the bill. For the UCEI, any delay is a cause for concern, as it risks paving the way for further delays, while alarm over incidents of anti-Semitism in Italy continues to grow.
The bill, already approved by the Senate, was listed as the third item on last Monday’s agenda in the Chamber of Deputies, but its examination will not begin this week and is expected to be postponed to the November session. Approximately sixty amendments have been filed for the floor, none of which were submitted by the majority.
The Committee of Nine—the body representing the relevant committee on the floor—has expressed opposition to all the amendments, in line with the previous assessment by the Constitutional Affairs Committee. Meanwhile, the Chamber’s Budget Committee has ruled out any additional costs arising from the text, which could therefore be approved without changes compared to the version passed by the Senate. UCEO is now awaiting the decision of the Conference of Group Leaders on the legislative schedule. With the adoption of a new schedule, the Chamber’s rules of procedure allow for the application of time limits: the debate could thus take place within a predetermined maximum duration, allocated among the groups, to ensure the final vote takes place within a set timeframe.
The UCEI therefore urges the completion of the parliamentary process for the approval of the anti-Semitism bill, supported by the majority and the other political forces that have already voted for it in the Senate, and will closely monitor the next steps. Combating anti-Semitism is a response that the country must provide to itself in the face of a problem that affects society as a whole.
Antisemitism Bill, Ucei Hopes in Swift Approval
