French National Assembly Rejects Yadan Law Petition Despite 700,000 Signatures

The Laws Committee of the French National Assembly voted on April 15, 2026, to reject a public petition signed by more than 700,000 people opposing a controversial new bill designed to combat antisemitism. The decision to archive the petition, known as Non à la loi Yadan, ensures that the public protest will not be debated in a public session of the assembly.

The procedural action, referred to as classement, effectively ends the petition’s path through official parliamentary channels. Once a petition is archived, We see considered rejected, and the public is no longer permitted to add further signatures to the text. The petition had been active on the official website of the National Assembly since February 18, 2026.

Provisions of the Yadan Law

The legislation, introduced by Member of Parliament Caroline Yadan of the Ensemble pour la République group, aims to address what the author describes as renewed forms of antisemitism. The bill was put forward following a surge in antisemitic incidents in France after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

If adopted in its current form, the bill would significantly broaden the legal definition of apology for terrorism, which is already a criminal offense in France. The proposed changes would expand this definition to include speech that implicitly justifies or downplays acts classified as terrorism.

the bill proposes the creation of a new criminal offense targeting calls for the destruction of any country recognized by France. This specific offense would be punishable by up to five years in prison. The legislation also seeks to implement tougher penalties for the justification of terrorism and incitement.

Public and Political Opposition

The rejection of the petition has intensified political tensions surrounding the bill. While the petition garnered over 700,000 signatures in less than two months, the Laws Committee opted to shift the focus from public protest to legislative deliberation.

Opposition to the bill has extended beyond the digital petition. Hundreds of protesters have gathered in Paris, and demonstrations have spread across France. Critics of the legislation argue that the measures are a misguided attempt to crack down on speech and risk further inflaming tensions.

Within the National Assembly, the bill has caused a divide. Several lawmakers aligned with the government and centrist groups have signaled that they may not support the initiative, with some calling for the bill to be withdrawn entirely.

Next Legislative Steps

Despite the archiving of the public petition, the legislative process for the bill continues. The National Assembly is scheduled to hold a direct examination and debate of the proposed Yadan law on April 16, 2026.

The decision by the commission des lois to reject the petition highlights a continuing tension between direct citizen engagement and formal legislative procedures in France. Lawmakers will now deliberate on the bill’s merits and the legality of its proposed expansions of criminal speech laws without a formal public session dedicated to the petition’s grievances.