Oxford Union President-Elect Removed Due to Conservative Activist Posts

Oxford Union debate
The activist and student leader took part in a debate at the student society in May

The president-elect of the Oxford Union has been ousted from office after losing a no-confidence vote that came after his controversial social media posts about the conservative activist.

The vote against George Abaraonye achieved the required two-thirds threshold to oust him from his position, according to an announcement from the society.

Disputed Comments

The dispute erupted after the student reportedly shared messages on online platforms that appeared to welcome the killing of Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot while addressing a college in the United States.

According to reports, one Instagram post reportedly read "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an extended form of the acronym for 'laughing out loud'.

The student leader is also said to have posted in a WhatsApp chat with other members seeming to express approval of the event.

Election Results

The vote of confidence took place over the weekend, with outcomes announced on this week.

Society announcements showed that 1,228 ballots were cast in favor of removal, while just over five hundred were opposed the motion.

The notice stated that the future president was deemed to have stepped down in following the society's regulations.

Society notice
The Oxford Union announced the outcome of the no-confidence vote on Tuesday morning

Election Controversies

Voting operations were temporarily halted early on Monday after the returning officer was reportedly subjected to "obstruction, intimidation, and unwarranted hostility" from several representatives.

In a statement, the student asserted that the vote tally had been halted because electoral officials believed "no legitimate and true result could be reached as a result of process errors".

His response categorically refuted that any representative acting for George had participated in threatening or obstructive conduct.

Continuing Controversy

The student maintained that extremely serious issues had been submitted to the disciplinary committee and that he continued as president-elect.

His statement added that George was "proud and thankful to have the backing of significantly more than half of students at Oxford" who voted to have a "secure voting process and oppose efforts to undermine the electoral process".

Critics have said that any failure to remove him would "demonstrate internationally that the Oxford Union has prioritized politics over principles".

Charlie Kirk speaking
Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at a university in last month

External Reactions

On Friday, Mikey McCoy presented an open letter to the Oxford Union on The Charlie Kirk Show podcast.

The letter accused the society of becoming a institution where "student leaders publicly celebrate the assassination of a ideological rival".

The communication warned that if the student were to remain in post, Kirk's allies would "personally contact every American political speaker who has ever graced the union's chamber and advise them against future participation".

The Oxford Union had earlier condemned the student's remarks after the activist's killing and confirmed that concerns filed against him had been forwarded for disciplinary proceedings.

The student leader had been one of several students to debate with Kirk at the society in May.

Anthony Harper
Anthony Harper

A passionate traveler and writer, sharing personal experiences and tips from journeys across Canada and beyond.