The Party of European Socialists (PES) condemns Monday’s attack on Helen Haines MP outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, Australia. The PES sends its thoughts to Helen Haines, her family and her team, and wishes her strength. She is widely respected for her integrity and her determined advocacy for stronger action on climate change.
The PES also condemns the alarming incident at the electorate office of Hannah Beazley, a Labor Party minister in Western Australia, where a man allegedly armed with a weapon threatened members of her staff on Wednesday. While Beazley was not present and no one was injured, the incident is deeply disturbing and further highlights the threats and intimidation faced by women in politics. We express our solidarity with Hannah Beazley and her team.
PES President Stefan Löfven said:
“Violence against elected representatives is an attack on democracy itself, wherever it happens. No one should have to risk their safety to serve their community. Yet not least women in politics face threats, abuse and intimidation that too often turn into physical violence, and too many are driven out of public life as a result. Our own political family knows this all too well. Ten years ago, Jo Cox MP was murdered in her constituency in the UK. In 2024, Matthias Ecke, a Social Democratic Party (SPD) Member of the European Parliament, was beaten while putting up campaign posters in Dresden, and Franziska Giffey, a Berlin senator, was attacked in a library in the city. We will never accept violence as part of political life.”
The PES condemns all violence and intimidation against elected representatives, whoever the target. Our thoughts remain with Helen Haines and her loved ones, and we stand in solidarity with Hannah Beazley and her team. Political violence and intimidation must never be normalised in our democracies.
