🔗 Share this article

The future president of the prestigious debating society has been ousted from office after losing a no-confidence vote that came after his controversial online comments about Charlie Kirk.

The vote against the student leader reached the required super-majority to remove him from office, according to an announcement from the organization.

Contentious Posts

The controversy began after the student reportedly posted messages on social media that appeared to celebrate the killing of the American conservative figure, who was shot dead while addressing a university in the United States.

According to sources, one social media message reportedly stated "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an elongated version of the acronym for 'laughing out loud'.

The student leader is also reported to have posted in a messaging group with fellow students seeming to welcome the incident.

Vote Outcome

The no-confidence motion took place over the weekend, with outcomes revealed on Tuesday.

Official notices showed that over twelve hundred votes were cast in favor of no confidence, while 501 were against the motion.

The notice confirmed that the future president was considered to have resigned in accordance with the society's regulations.

Election Controversies

Proceedings were informally suspended early on the previous day after the returning officer was allegedly subjected to "obstruction, intimidation, and unwarranted hostility" from several representatives.

In a statement, Mr Abaraonye asserted that the count had been stopped because electoral officials believed "no legitimate and true result could be reached as a result of procedural failures".

His response categorically refuted that any person acting for the student had engaged in threatening or obstructive conduct.

Continuing Controversy

The student stated that significant concerns had been referred to the disciplinary committee and that he remained president-elect.

His comment added that George was "grateful and honored to have the support of significantly more than half of university members" who voted to have a "secure voting process and oppose efforts to undermine the electoral process".

Critics have argued that any decision to keep him would "demonstrate internationally that the society has prioritized politics over principles".

External Responses

On Friday, Kirk's former chief of staff presented an open letter to the Oxford Union on a related program podcast.

The letter criticized the society of becoming a place where "student leaders openly applaud the assassination of a ideological rival".

The statement warned that if Mr Abaraonye were to keep his position, supporters would "personally contact every American political speaker who has ever graced the union's chamber and advise them against future participation".

The society had previously criticized the student's remarks 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 debate with the activist at the society in May.