Le Pen fracas brings stricter rules for MEPs

Date: 23/05/02

By David Cronin

MEPS will be banned from using the European Parliament as a platform for national election campaigns under new rules currently being finalised.

The move follows the fracas which led to far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen aborting a press conference at the Brussels assembly during his bid to win the French presidency last month.

Parliament spokesman David Harley said that the institution should not become a 'free-for-all' for campaigning on domestic political issues.

In future, press conferences will also be restricted to journalists and individuals invited by the host MEP. This is to prevent a recurrence of the ugly scenes witnessed on 24 April, when Anti Nazi League activists blockaded the room where Le Pen was due to give his briefing.

Harley confirmed that Le Pen had filed a complaint about the incident and would shortly be receiving a reply.

In a related development, Parliament President Pat Cox has called for a code of conduct for MEPs. This would include what disciplinary action can be taken in the rare event that deputies punch or kick each other. According to Harley, such guidelines are 'long overdue'.

'It is unacceptable that members should be the subject of physical assault,' he said. 'Whatever their political views, all MEPs have equal rights.'

But he said the code might stipulate that deputies do not make racist statements or incite hatred: 'We have an open-ended mandate,' he added.

Meanwhile, MEPs are to ask the Belgian police to reinforce security around its Brussels buildings. Although police stepped up their presence following the 11 September attacks, it has recently been scaled down. Harley said he hoped a 'security perimeter' could be set up.

MEPs are to be banned from using the European Parliament as a platform for national election campaigns, following the fracas which led to far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen aborting a press conference at the Brussels assembly on 24 April 2002 during his bid to win the French presidency.