Hate speech has no place in the European Parliament
VOICE has joined 71 other civil society organisations (including several VOICE member organisations) in signing a joint letter to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, calling for stronger action against discriminatory rhetoric in the European Parliament. The letter follows the 17 June plenary session, during which a group of Members of the European Parliament applauded the adoption of the Return Regulation and chanted "send them back." The signatories urge President Metsola to publicly condemn the incident, reaffirm Parliament's commitment to dignity and respect, and clarify how its rules of conduct will be consistently enforced in future plenary and committee proceedings.
For VOICE, this incident reflects a broader and deeply concerning trend. Hate speech has no place in democratic institutions. The European Parliament has a responsibility to foster respectful political debate and uphold the fundamental values of human dignity, equality and human rights. Remaining silent risks normalising language that fuels discrimination and exclusion. VOICE calls for clear leadership and concrete action to ensure that the European Parliament remains a place where all people are treated with dignity and respect.
