The French Parliament has approved the first reading of a bill aimed at reinforcing penalties for racist, anti-Semitic, and discriminatory offenses, introducing stricter measures against non-public insults, defamations, and incitements to discrimination or hatred. These offenses, including Holocaust denial and misgendering, would become misdemeanors under the new law, with fines ranging from 1,000 to 3,750 euro.
Policy analyst and author Mathieu Bock-Côté has spoken out against the bill, citing concerns about its potential intrusion on private life and its implications for freedom of speech. In Scotland, a similar trend is evident with the recent implementation of the Hate Crime and Public Order Act, reflecting broader legislative shifts across Europe to address so-called harmful content.
