European Parliament Faces Push to Condemn Political Violence

The European Parliament is set to consider a resolution condemning political violence following the murders of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk and Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska. A group of 84 right-wing Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) has proposed the resolution, which aims to express solidarity with the victims’ families and advocate for a “zero tolerance” stance on political extremism. The vote could occur during the Parliament’s plenary session scheduled for October 6 to 9, 2023.

The initiative comes in the wake of Kirk’s shooting in Utah on September 10 and Zarutska’s stabbing in North Carolina in August. Both incidents have drawn significant condemnation from prominent figures, including former US President Donald Trump, who expressed outrage over Kirk’s death. European leaders have also responded, with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni describing the murder as “shocking” and “a deep wound for democracy.” Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament, expressed her horror at the “absolutely horrific assassination.”

Tensions escalated during a recent session in Strasbourg, where an MEP from the right-wing Sweden Democrats party requested a minute of silence for Kirk. This request was denied by Katarina Barley, a Socialist MEP and vice-president of the Parliament, sparking further debate among lawmakers.

The resolution, spearheaded by Italian MEPs Susanna Ceccardi and Paolo Borchia from the far-right Patriots for Europe (PfE) group, emphasizes the need for a robust response to political violence. Their joint statement highlighted that “these brutal killings shock our consciences and show how political violence and ideological hatred can strike indiscriminately.” They called for unwavering opposition to violence and intimidation in all democratic societies, stressing that media outlets should report such incidents without bias.

The proposal has garnered support primarily from members of the PfE group, as well as from the European Conservatives and Reformists, including Dominik Tarczynski from Poland, Carlo Fidanza from Italy, and Charlie Weimers from Sweden.

Following this, the resolution will be reviewed by the office of President Roberta Metsola. The final decision regarding its inclusion on the agenda will rest with the Conference of Presidents, which consists of the leaders of the Parliament’s various political groups. Other political factions have been invited to share their positions on the proposed resolution.

As the European Parliament prepares to address these significant issues, the call for action against political violence resonates deeply within the broader context of rising tensions and ideological divides across Europe and beyond.