Politics · Italy · 1 day ago
Author of IHRA antisemitism definition warns against putting it into law
Italy is considering putting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism into law, in a bill already approved by the Senate.
Kenneth Stern, a lawyer who was the main writer of the definition in 2004, says it should not be used by a government to decide what people may say about political issues.
He says the definition was originally intended to help monitor antisemitism, including cases connected to Israel.
Stern argues that since about 2010 it has been used to treat some criticism of Israel as antisemitic and to limit freedom of expression.
He points to its use in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States as examples.
He warns that making it part of law could encourage what he calls a new McCarthyism, referring to the US anti-communist witch hunts of the Cold War era.
The bill has passed the Italian Senate, and the source does not say what happens next.
Kenneth Stern, the principal drafter of the IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism, warns against putting it into law.
Stern says laws using the definition could restrict political expression and fuel what he calls a new McCarthyism.
Italy’s government wants to adopt the definition through bill 1004, which has been approved by the Senate.
Stern says the definition was originally intended to help monitor antisemitism, particularly in Europe, not to decide whether political speech should be suppressed.
He says the definition has been used to label Jewish protesters in Germany as antisemitic and to restrict demonstrations in the United Kingdom.
- Who
- Kenneth Stern, the definition’s principal drafter, warns against its adoption in law.
- What
- He says using the IHRA definition in law could restrict freedom of expression.
- When
- Stern drafted the definition in 2004; the article reporting his warning was published on 10 October 2026.
- Where
- Italy is considering adopting the definition. Stern also cited uses of it in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.
- Why
- Stern says a state should not use an antisemitism definition to decide what may be said about political issues.
Italian government
Kenneth Stern
Adoption in law
Italian government
The government wants to adopt the IHRA definition through bill 1004.
Kenneth Stern
Stern says no definition of antisemitism should be used by a state to decide what may be said about political issues.
Purpose and effect
Italian government
The source does not state the government’s reasons for adopting the definition.
Kenneth Stern
Stern says the definition was intended to help monitor antisemitism, but has been used to restrict freedom of expression.
It will fuel a new McCarthyism.
No definition of antisemitism should be used by a state to establish what is permissible to say about political issues and what is not.
I would never have thought that my work would be instrumentalized in this way to once again target freedom of expression.
Stern was the principal drafter of the text containing the IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism.
Stern says the definition began to be used to try to suppress freedom of expression.
Il Fatto Quotidiano published an article reporting Stern’s warning about putting the definition into law.
- Definition drafted
- 2004
- Italian bill
- 1004
- Senate status
- Approved
- Stern’s age
- 73
- Article publication
- 10 October 2026
Sources
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