Right-wing bloc votes against bid to make anti-harassment training mandatory in Parliament

The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and the Identity and Democracy (ID) groups at the European Parliament voted against a proposal to introduce mandatory anti-harassment training for parliamentarians.

The right-wing bloc voted against the amendment on Wednesday (24 April), which would have established penalties and sanctions for those failing to attend the training within the first six months of the mandate. 

The amendment did not pass, and without it, there will be no consequences for members who skip the half a day training, with the course remaining de facto voluntary.

An EPP source told Euractiv that the German delegation within the EPP voted against the amendment because it considers repercussions disproportionate. The whole group eventually aligned with such an approach, the source explained. 

A similar position was taken by the largest delegation within ID, the Italian League party, a spokesperson of the party told Euractiv

ID French delegation Rassemblement National, instead, voted against the whole package because it goes “against the freedom of mandate,” a source from the party told Euractiv. 

For the same reason as ID, the Conservatives of ECR voted against or abstained, they declared in a press release.

A legal opinion of the European Parliament, dated November 2021, seen by Euractiv, explains that there are no obstacles for members in their function if they have mandatory anti-harassment training.

According to the failed amendment, repercussions would have included penalties and the ineligibility of being elected for parliamentary office-holders, such as committee chairs, the presidency office, the administrative body (the bureau) or as rapporteurs.

The European Parliament initiated a reform to reinforce anti-harassment internal procedures after several cases of MEPs being accused of physical and psychological harassment of the staff were leaked to the press.

In July 2023, the Parliament’s administrative body—the bureau—established a “mediation service” for such cases and proposed mandatory training for members.

In the 2019-2024 legislative mandate, 380 MEPs out of 705 did the training voluntarily, according to a European Parliament official who spoke with Euractiv.

[Edited by Aurélie Pugnet/Alice Taylor]

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