🔗 Share this article

The president-elect of the Oxford Union has been removed from his position after failing a no-confidence vote that followed his disputed online comments about the conservative activist.

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

Disputed Comments

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

According to sources, one social media message reportedly read "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an extended form of the phrase 'lol'.

The president-elect is also said to have posted in a WhatsApp chat with other members appearing to express approval of the event.

Election Results

The no-confidence motion took place over the recent days, with outcomes announced on this week.

Society announcements indicated that 1,228 ballots were cast supporting no confidence, while 501 were opposed the motion.

The announcement confirmed that the future president was considered to have resigned in accordance with the Oxford Union's rules.

Election Controversies

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

In a statement, the student asserted that the vote tally had been stopped because election administrators believed "no valid outcome could be reached as a result of procedural failures".

His response categorically refuted that any representative appointed by the student had engaged in threatening or obstructive conduct.

Continuing Controversy

The president-elect maintained that significant concerns had been submitted to the disciplinary committee and that he continued as the elected leader.

His statement added that he was "grateful and honored to have the backing of well in excess of a majority of students at Oxford" who supported a "secure voting process and oppose efforts to undermine the electoral process".

Critics have said that any decision to keep him would "signal to the world that the Oxford Union has chosen ideology over integrity".

External Reactions

On recently, Mikey McCoy read out an public message to the society on a related program broadcast.

The message criticized the union of becoming a place where "presidents of the union openly applaud the assassination of a ideological rival".

The statement indicated that if the student were to remain in post, Kirk's allies would "personally contact every American political speaker who has ever spoken at the society and urge them never again to lend their name".

The society had earlier condemned Mr Abaraonye's comments after the activist's killing and stated that concerns submitted about him had been referred for official review.

The president-elect had been one of multiple members to discuss with Kirk at the union in spring.