(JEWISH GROUP) Romanian Jewish representative criticises president for challenging hate speech bill

A Romanian Jewish legislator said he would return his national order of merit on Friday in protest after the centrist president challenged a bill seeking harsher punishment for antisemitism and hate speech in the country's top court.

Romania's parliament updated existing legislation outlawing the celebration of fascist leaders or imagery in June at the proposal of Jewish lawmaker Silviu Vexler, introducing prison sentences for the promotion of antisemitism and xenophobia via social media platforms.

The bill also raised jail terms for creating or belonging to racist organisations.

Romania had one of Europe's most violent antisemitic movements of the 1930s, the Iron Guard, known for political assassinations and pogroms. The country was also an ally of Nazi Germany until August 1944, when it changed sides.

The centrist President Nicusor Dan challenged the bill at the Constitutional Court, saying it raised freedom of speech concerns and arguing it did not include a proper legal definition of fascists or Iron Guard members, which would force judges to interpret the law arbitrarily.

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