European Union legislators have “overwhelmingly” voted to lift the EU parliamentary immunity of French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen for tweeting pictures of Isis violence.
Ms Le Pen, a member of the European parliament, is under investigation in France for posting three graphic images of Isis executions on Twitter in 2015, including the beheading of the United States journalist James Foley.
Responding to a request from the French judiciary, the EU MEPs in the legal affairs committee voted to lift her immunity, EU officials said. The committee’s decision will have to be backed by the whole parliament in a second vote, possibly this week.
Ms Le Pen’s immunity shields her from prosecution and lifting it would permit legal action against her. The offence being considered is “publishing violent images,” which under certain circumstances can carry a penalty of three years in prison and a fine of €75,000 (£64,000).
From: European Parliament committee votes to lift Marine Le Pen’s immunity from prosecution over Isis images | The IndependentImage by Abode of Chaos 
Is posting those pictures illegal for everyone?Report
It looks like it. Unless you have immunity. It’s not clear on what basis immunity is granted or revoked. Do all members of European Parliament have immunity? Who else does? Are they revoking it for all MEP’s or just her?
Also, retroactive prosecution?Report
I think they’re trying to prevent the need for a run-off election.Report
That’s the most likely answer. They want to prevent France from having its own Trumpian/Brexit moment because a LePen victory would mark the end of the European Union.Report
You have immunity if someone tells you “You have immunity.”
The technical term is “heard immunity”.Report
And then you tell someone else that they have immunity, and so on. If enough folks do this then most of us should have immunity against hoof in mouth disease.Report
They you get the classic telephone problem.
“I have impunity.”
“I have opportunity.”
“You’re both lying.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I have incredulity.”Report
Stuff like this makes me thankful for the first amendment. Our European friends may do some things better than we do, but man can they get it ridiculously wrong. Every MEP who voted for this is a coward and is doing no favors for liberalism. The ones who lose to FN or AfD and the other right wing populists deserve it.Report
Thanks right.
The irony of trying to prevent a right-wing, nationalist takeover of government by changing existing law ex post facto in order to prosecute speech is at Greek fishing tragedy level.Report
That should say, “that’s right.” For some reason I’m not able to edit my comment. Censors?Report
The illiberal problem in liberal democracy strikes again. Illiberal people and politicians are bad faith actors because they don’t respect the basic tenants of small l-liberalism. They are willing to use these tenants when it suits them and abandon them when that is in their interest. Small l-liberals can’t really fight them except by beating them in elections without making a mockery of liberalism.Report
You mean “tenets”, although I’m sure they’d be happy to make use of tenants as the mood struck them.Report
Pretty much.Report