Romanian Jewish representative criticises president for challenging hate speech bill

BUCHAREST (Reuters) -A Romanian Jewish legislator said he would return his national order of merit on Friday in protest after the centrist president challenged a bill seeking harsher punishment for antisemitism and hate speech in the country's top court.

Romania's parliament updated existing legislation outlawing the celebration of fascist leaders or imagery in June at the proposal of Jewish lawmaker Silviu Vexler, introducing prison sentences for the promotion of antisemitism and xenophobia via social media platforms.

The bill also raised jail terms for creating or belonging to racist organisations.

Romania had one of Europe's most violent antisemitic movements of the 1930s, the Iron Guard, known for political assassinations and pogroms. The country was also an ally of Nazi Germany until August 1944, when it changed sides.

The centrist President Nicusor Dan challenged the bill at the Constitutional Court, saying it raised freedom of speech concerns and arguing it did not include a proper legal definition of fascists or Iron Guard members, which would force judges to interpret the law arbitrarily.

The top court has rejected a similar challenge against the bill by hard-right parties.

"The impact of the Romanian president's act will directly or indirectly encourage continuing to promote Iron Guard ideology, the leaders of extremist organisations and inevitably antisemitism and all forms of extremism," Vexler said.

The presidency did not reply to a request for comment. The National Order of Merit which Vexler said he would return recognises important civil or military services to Romania. 

Romania cancelled a presidential election in December after allegations of Russian interference – denied by Moscow - in favour of far-right contender Calin Georgescu, who was later banned from running in the May ballot re-run and has since been sent to trial for promoting Romania's wartime fascist leaders.

Dan ultimately won the presidential re-run against a hard-right leader who had replaced Georgescu.

(Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Alex Richardson)