EJC sets election date

The European Jewish Congress governing board set June 26 for its general
assembly in Paris, amid tensions over choosing a new leader.There was heated debate at the
EJC meeting Thursday in London over the date of the assembly where the 43-country organization will elect a new president. Pierre Besnainou,
the incumbent, will face Moshe Kantor, president of the
Russian Jewish Congress. Kantor and his supporters wanted the EJC general
assembly to take place before June 10, when the World Jewish Congress will choose an acting president. The EJC is a WJC affiliate. Kantor argued that the EJC representative
to the WJC governing board meeting should have a full mandate, but Besnainou pushed for the later date, saying he needs time to campaign for the EJC election. Kantor supporters claim Besnainou prevented community
representatives from voting at the EJC meeting. Besnainou told JTA he followed correct procedures and that “there were
attempts at illegitimate voting by proxy.”