As France reels from the rape of a Jewish girl, antisemitism comes to the fore in election campaign

The alleged rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl in a suspected antisemitic attack has sent shockwaves throughout France, and thrust concerns about antisemitism to the forefront of campaigning for the country’s legislative elections. The National Rally party, which has tried to shed historical links to antisemitism, has its first real chance of forming a government if it comes out on top of the two-round elections that end July 7, as polls forecast. Although the alleged rape has heightened tensions regarding antisemitism in France, it is far from a new issue in French politics, with far-left figures also facing accusations of antisemitism linked to their response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.