Brussels, 1st March 2011
Subject: Pope Benedict XVI invited to European Parliament
Honourable President Buzek,
Through the media (http://www.romereports.com/palio/Pope-invited-to-speak-before-European-Parliament-english-3623.html) we learned you have invited the Pope to address the European Parliament. On behalf of the European Parliament Platform for Secularism in Politics, we would like to state our objection, as we have done on earlier occasions, to a religious leader addressing the plenary session of this House.
This House hosts a wide variety of events every day, on countless topics, bringing together MEPs, NGOs, businesses, interest groups, and many more. We welcome this wholeheartedly, as a Parliament should be the meeting place for every possible opinion, belief or conviction.
However, the plenary session in this assembly discusses and decides policies for all 500 million European citizens, regardless of their belief, faith or religion. It is wholly inappropriate for the plenary meetings to be used as a podium for religious messages.
The European Parliament Platform for Secularism in Politics has repeatedly invited you, as President of this House, for an exchange of views on the implementation of Treaty article 17, regarding the relation between the EU institutions and churches and non-confessional organisations. So far you have not found the opportunity to attend one of our meetings, and you recently cancelled a date that had been set well in advance. In view of your invitation to the Pope, we feel it is even more urgent to have a debate on the place of churches and religious organisations within the EU institutions.
The European Union has to defend the rights of every citizen, regardless of their religion or belief. Freedom of religion is an individual right, it is not a collective privilege. Freedom of religion can only be safeguarded if the EU institutions do not favour certain groups over others. All beliefs and convictions must be heard, including secularist voices. As President of an EU institution, and particularly as President of the directly elected representatives of the people, you have a special responsibility in ensuring that all voices are heard.
We urge you to reconsider your invitation for an address by the Pope to the Plenary. We furthermore repeat our invitation for an exchange of views with our Platform.
With kind regards,
Sophie in ‘t Veld
Chair European Parliament Platform for Secularism in Politics