Pandemonium erupted in the European Parliament at a plenary session in Strasbourg this week after three MEPs linked Islam and migrants to a rise in sexual violence and a third criticised transgender ideology.
The MEPs in question—Anders Vistisen (ID), Isabella Adinolfi (EPP), and Cristian Terheș (ECR)—may fall foul of Parliament’s harsh anti-hate speech protocols after progressive colleagues referred their colleagues’ remarks to Parliament’s President Roberta Metsola for potential sanction.
Politicians were debating the controversial Istanbul Convention on domestic violence when right-wing MEPs highlighted the hypocrisy of failing to take Islam to task for sexist and discriminatory practices towards women and the danger posed by transgender ideology to women.
Forza Italia MEP Isabella Adinolfi referred to the death of a Pakistani teenager living in Italy who was killed for refusing an arranged marriage, while Danish People’s Party politician Anders Vistisen cited a statistical link between migrants and sex crimes in his own country.
Adinolfi subsequently expressed astonishment at the moves against her, releasing a statement accusing the leftist MEPs who reported her of hypocrisy. She explained that she merely attempted to highlight the plight of 18-year-old Saman Abbas who was murdered after attempting to escape an arranged marriage.
Danish People’s Party MEP Anders Vistisen lashed out against attempts to penalise him, tweeting that the European Parliament was attempting to “silence” any debate on the link between migrants and crime.
Figures from the Danish Ministry of Justice last year vindicated Vistisen’s position. Even the Danish Social Democratic Minister of Justice, Nick Hækkerrup, confirmed that an “ethnic slant” existed regarding the disproportionate numbers of migrants convicted of rape.
Their comments evoked the fury of three progressive MEPs who have called for the parliamentarians to be censured and subject to financial sanctions for their speeches.
Dutch Renew MEP Samira Rafaela, a Muslim of Nigerian heritage, has taken particular umbrage at the speeches, saying that opinions expressed by the conservative lawmakers could contribute to violence against migrants.
One of Parliament’s most vocal opponents of right-wing populism, Rafaela herself, faced an internal party investigation into bullying claims last year.
The third MEP facing potential penalties is Romanian MEP Cristian Terheș, who was criticised for denouncing transgender dogma at the parliamentary podium.
Speaking to The European Conservative, Terheș defended his speech by saying that “civilised society needs to put female safety over and above that of dangerous gender ideology.” Terheș added that transgender ideology presented a clear and present danger to women, a point that was ignored in the debate.
MEPs were debating the controversial Istanbul Convention designed to clamp down on domestic violence against women. Many conservative lawmakers accused the Convention of attempting to smuggle gender ideology into European law.
The European Parliament has strict regulations against offensive language under its Code of Conduct, which prohibits the use of sexist or xenophobic language.
This is not the first time right-wing MEPs have been dragged over the coals for supposedly incendiary rhetoric. Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke was suspended for ten days and fined €9,210 for sexist remarks on the gender pay gap, and Nigel Farage’s “damp rag” quip earned him a €2,980 slap on the wrist.
