European Parliament President Roberta Metsola warned MEPs on Monday 6 July about the “appropriate measures” she could take to prevent a repeat of the scene witnessed in mid-June in the Strasbourg chamber, during the approval of the Interinstitutional Agreement on the return of migrants staying irregularly in the European Union (see EUROPE 13890/13).
“The aggressive chanting, jeering, finger-pointing and filming of members that took place is not acceptable. Parliaments are the arena of free and open debate. Discussions and votes can be difficult, they can even be controversial. But they must always be based on mutual respect and on tolerance. There is a line, and that was crossed last plenary”, Ms Metsola said.
She was referring in particular to shouts such as ‘Send them back!’ uttered by MEPs in favour of approving the agreement promoted by a majority of Christian Democrat, conservative and far-right elected representatives.
The President of the European Parliament, who is currently hearing one by one the MEPs identified as having been vehement and those who feel unsafe, promised to apply the rules of procedure of the EU institution in order to prevent any “aggressive behaviour”. “Political disagreements, however vigorous they may be, do not justify intimidation”, she stressed. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)