MEPs postpone crucifix vote

Euro-parliamentarians yesterday postponed their vote on a resolution regarding the controversial ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to ban crucifixes from Italian public schools.

Just before the European Parliament was going to vote on two resolutions attacking the ruling, presented by the left and the European People's Party, Socialist Group leader Martin Schultz proposed that the vote should be postponed to the next plenary session so the validity of such a resolution and vote could be checked in terms of EU laws and EP procedures.

Mr Schultz's suggestion was approved by a slim majority of MEPs and the vote has been postponed.

The postponement is the result of wide divisions among MEPs over the issue, including members of the same political groups. Some MEPs and the Commission are arguing that since the ECHR is not an EU institution, the EU or any of its institutions including the EP do not have any jurisdiction to judge its decisions.

On the other hand, other MEPs argue that the EP should send a clear message that religious freedoms are a matter of subsidiarity and each individual member state should be left to decide on how to conduct its own affairs on these sensitive issues.

Although originally more than five resolutions were presented on this subject, the Socialists, Greens and Liberals yesterday withdrew their motions and only those of the EPP and the Left have remained on the agenda.

Contacted by The Times, Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil, who was the co-author of the EPP resolution, said that the EPP would have liked to proceed with the vote to send a clear message to Europe that subsidiarity is of utmost important in religious matters.

On the other hand, Labour's head of delegation Louis Grech said although the three Labour MEPs were going to vote in favour of the EPP resolution, they felt that a postponement was necessary so there could be a wider consensus and a bigger majority.

The issue was originally raised earlier this week by Mario Borghezio, an Italian MEP from Lega Nord who asked the Commission to condemn the ruling. However, the Commission steered clear of making any comments saying that it has no jurisdiction to do so.