MEPs change rules to scupper Le Pen in European Parliament

MEPs today changed their rules to stop French far-right holocaust denier Jean Marie Le Pen from presiding over the first session of the newly-elected European Parliament in July.

The controversial move was prompted by Socialist MEPs because if Mr Le Pen is returned in the June euro-election he will be the oldest MEP and would open the ceremonial inaugural meeting of the new intake.

The rule change has split MEPs down the middle, with some determined to deny 80-year-old Mr Le Pen a platform, and others insisting that, as a democratically-elected MEP, the French National Front leader is entitled to follow tradition when Parliament resumes.

The anti-Le Pen faction won today, pushing through a rule change which means the outgoing President of Parliament, instead of the oldest member, will perform the opening ceremony at the start of the new five-year term on July 14 in Strasbourg.

British Labour MEP Richard Corbett welcomed the result: “I am relieved that Mr Le Pen will not be opening the Parliament in the next term.

Pointing out that Le Pen abused his parliamentary immunity last month by repeating remarks that saw him convicted for Holocaust denial, Mr Corbett said: “As recently as March, Le Pen abused his position as an MEP by repeating disgusting statements that the gas chambers were a mere detail of history, knowing that he was protected by parliamentary privilege”

“This is not about silencing dissent – a rule change isn’t going to shut Le Pen up. The point is that the opening of Parliament is a purely ceremonial occasion, not a free platform for a convicted Holocaust denier to make more outrageous and offensive statements.”

Socialist group leader Martin Schulz, from Germany, agreed: “The existing rules, which provide for the inaugural session of a new parliament to be opened by the oldest member, entailed the risk that Mr Le Pen would be given the job if he were re-elected. This would be wholly unacceptable for me.

“A politician who continues to assert that the Nazi gas chambers are a detail of history cannot have the honour of presiding over this assembly, which symbolises the reconciliation of the peoples of Europe.”

Mr Le Pen was fined £190,000 (€142,548) for holocaust denial in 1987.

However, Liberal leader in the European Parliament Graham Watson said that, as an elected MEP, there was no justification for treating Mr Le Pen differently from others – “even if we hate his politics”.