European Parliament pushes Chat Control through the back door

The parliamentary trick to revive Chat Control

Did you know that the European Parliament is about to approve a law it has already rejected twice, and that if you are an MEP and you don't vote, your absence counts as a vote in favour? That is exactly what is happening with the so-called Chat Control, the proposal to scan private communications for child abuse material. In March, the initiative fell with 311 votes against. But the presidency of the House and the European People's Party have found a way to revive it: fast-tracking it under an urgent procedure, which requires an absolute majority —361 votes— to block it, rather than a simple majority to approve it. And on top of that, absences count as affirmative votes.

The ploy is as cynical as it is effective. The vote has been scheduled for the last day of sessions before the summer recess, when half the chamber already has their plane tickets. All supporters of the law need to do is keep their seat empty for the "yes" votes to pile up without having to convince anyone. To stop the text, 361 votes against are needed; to sneak it through, simply empty the room. The outcome is a foregone conclusion for an initiative that aims to scan the private conversations of 450 million Europeans.

Those who defend the measure argue that it is necessary to protect minors. However, the way it is being done —changing the rules after losing the vote, choosing a strategic date and counting absences as approval— raises serious doubts about respect for the democratic process. The question hanging in the air is: if a law cannot muster enough support in an ordinary vote, should it be imposed through a procedural shortcut?

Meanwhile, European citizens remain unconsulted. The next time someone asks you whether you voted for this, the answer may well be: no, but it was voted for on your behalf. And your absence counted as a yes.