Dordogne: Mayor Excluded for Antisemitism Avoids Trial, LICRA Reacts

The International League Against Racism and Antisemitism (LICRA) has strongly criticized, in a statement released Wednesday, the decision of the Périgueux public prosecutor to opt for an alternative measure to prosecution against Bernard Bazinet, mayor of Augignac (Dordogne), accused of making antisemitic remarks on social media.

The incident dates back to early December 2025. Bernard Bazinet, then a Socialist elected official, had commented on a Libération article about Israel’s participation in Eurovision, writing: “Yes to the boycott! France is too Jewish to boycott!” These words, described by LICRA as “deeply and historically antisemitic,” quickly sparked public outrage. The Socialist Party immediately expelled the mayor on December 9, condemning the statements as “odious” with zero tolerance. An investigation for public racist insult was opened by the Périgueux prosecutor’s office, following a report by the prefecture and complaints filed notably by LICRA and the BNVCA (National Vigilance Office Against Antisemitism).

During questioning by the gendarmes, Bernard Bazinet acknowledged the remarks, stating that his words had “exceeded [his] thoughts” and expressing regret. He pleaded a “slip of the tongue,” claiming he had not fully understood the pejorative impact of the term “Jewish.”

On December 16, the prosecutor announced that Bazinet would be summoned in January 2026 before the prosecutor’s delegate, as part of an alternative measure to prosecution – a procedure that avoids a formal trial and can include a formal warning, a civic course, or a fine.

It is this decision that LICRA firmly contests. In its statement, the organization “expresses surprise and regret,” considering it a “minimal penal response” inconsistent with the Ministry of Justice’s guidelines on handling antisemitic statements. “This vocabulary is neither trivial nor careless. It refers to a rhetoric that stigmatizes Jews, inherited from the darkest periods of our history,” LICRA emphasized, reminding that such terms, when used by an elected official, cannot be downplayed.

The organization also links this case to the broader context of rising antisemitism, explicitly citing the antisemitic terrorist attack on December 14 at Bondi Beach, near Sydney, Australia, which resulted in several victims. “History has shown that antisemitic violence never emerges out of nowhere: it is preceded, prepared, and legitimized by words,” LICRA warned.

For the organization, the fight against antisemitism requires “clear, firm, and exemplary responses,” especially when public officials are involved. “The exemplary conduct of elected officials and the transparency of the judicial response are pillars of public trust,” the statement concluded.

Remaining true to its commitments, LICRA affirmed it will remain “fully mobilized” and continue to alert public authorities whenever republican principles are threatened.

©2025 – IMPACT EUROPEAN

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