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Former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has joined the Combat Antisemitism Movement’s newly-founded Advisory Board for Europe, it was announced on Thursday.
“The fight against antisemitism is not solely a Jewish cause — it is a democratic imperative,” Valls said. “Wherever antisemitism thrives, the rule of law, social cohesion, and republican values are under attack. I look forward to working with the Combat Antisemitism Movement to defend these principles throughout Europe.”
As prime minister of France from 2014-2016, and during his prior tenure as interior minister, Valls supported robust security measures to protect the French Jewish community, forcefully condemned antisemitic attacks and rhetoric, and emphasized the importance of preventing hate crimes and countering religious bigotry through both law enforcement and public policy.
CAM CEO Sacha Roytman welcomed Valls, stating, “We are honored to have Manuel Valls as a partner in the fight against the world’s oldest hatred. His resolute leadership and principled advocacy will be invaluable to our work on the continent, and we look forward to seeing the far-reaching impact of this collaboration across Europe and beyond.”
CAM Executive Director of European Affairs Shannon Seban said, “Over his decades of distinguished public service, Manuel Valls has been a leading voice warning of the dangers of rising antisemitism, including its anti-Zionist forms. The post-October 7th reality has only shown how prescient he was.”
“His unwavering commitment to standing against extremism of every type and defending democratic values makes him a natural ally for CAM in our efforts to forge a better European future,” Seban added.
The establishment of the board comes at a critical time, with European social cohesion and democratic resilience under increasing strain. A total of 2,962 antisemitic incidents were monitored in Europe by CAM’s Antisemitism Research Center (ARC) in 2025, nearly a 50% rise from the previous year, and 2026 has only seen the threat matrix facing European Jewry grow even more perilous.
The board offers a high-level platform for influential European leaders to turn words into action and coordinate a stronger and more effective collective response to the proliferation of antisemitism through strategic guidance, policy advocacy, and public engagement.
CAM has been active in Europe for more than five years now, building a coalition of top decision and policy makers, community representatives, and civil society officials from a broad range of religious, political, and cultural backgrounds to combat antisemitism together.
Last November, municipal leaders from more than 130 European cities convened in Paris, France, for the 2025 European Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism, organized by CAM.
Similar CAM-led forums were hosted in recent years by Dortmund (Germany), Athens (Greece), and Frankfurt (Germany).
CAM has also partnered with the European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage (AEPJ) on the “Cities Embracing Jewish Heritage” project.
For more information on CAM’s operations in Europe, please contact Executive Director of European Affairs Shannon Seban: shannon@combatantisemitism.org
