Political violence against MPs rising worldwide

• A majority of parliamentarians worldwide are facing threats and abuse from citizens, according to a new report released by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

• The report found that 71 per cent of lawmakers surveyed experienced violence from the public — whether offline, online or both.

• The report titled ‘When the public turns hostile: Political violence against parliamentarians’, includes responses from parliamentarians across 85 countries, with in-depth case studies in Argentina, Benin, Italy, Malaysia and the Netherlands to reflect diverse political and regional contexts.

Significance of the report

• In recent years, parliamentarians in many countries have faced a rise in intimidation and harassment from the public. While disagreement between citizens and their representatives is natural in democratic life, the escalation into threats and, in some tragic cases, deadly violence marks a disturbing departure. 

• In the United Kingdom, two MPs — Jo Cox in 2016 and David Amess in 2021 — were murdered while carrying out their constituency duties. 

• There are, unfortunately, plenty of examples of violence against parliamentarians in other countries and across different continents, reminding us that this is a global challenge.

• Such incidents are not isolated tragedies but symptoms of a wider climate of hostility. 

• They are driven by a combination of factors: the rise of political polarisation, economic and social pressures that fuel frustration, the amplification of anger through social media, and a growing distrust in institutions. 

• In this environment, parliamentarians — once viewed primarily as public servants — are increasingly treated as lightning rods for public discontent.

• In this report, intimidation is examined as a form of political violence — that is, the use or threat of force, harassment or coercion against elected representatives with the aim of influencing their behaviour, restricting their participation or undermining the legitimacy of democratic institutions. 

• When viewed in this context, intimidation not only poses a personal or occupational risk to parliamentarians but also directly undermines the functioning of representative democracy.

• The effects are corrosive. Intimidation by the public not only endangers the physical safety of individual representatives but also undermines their ability to work effectively, discourages them from engaging openly with citizens and risks silencing diverse voices in political life. 

Main findings of the report:

• Overall, 71 per cent of all respondents, both globally and in the five countries, reported having experienced violence from the public, whether online, offline or both.

• Violence is heavily concentrated online, with between 65 and 77 per cent of MPs in the five countries reporting online abuse. 

• The most common forms of public intimidation reported by MPs are insults and degrading language, the spread of false or misleading information, and threats.

• Most respondents believe that the situation is deteriorating. In Argentina and the Netherlands, 8 out of 10 MPs reported an increase in violence over the past five years.

• Online violence emerged as the primary form of intimidation faced by parliamentarians.

• Online violence is frequently triggered by elections, high-profile legislative debates or polarising political or cultural issues.

• Offline violence was reported less frequently than online abuse but remains a serious concern. This form of violence includes verbal aggression, threats, harassment in public spaces and, in some cases, physical attacks.

• Women are more affected than men: 76 per cent of women MPs across the case studies reported exposure to violence, compared to 68 per cent of men. 

• Women are disproportionately affected by gendered and sexualised forms of violence, especially online.

• Impact of emerging technologies: Abuse is increasingly amplified by AI-generated content and deepfakes.  

• MPs who belong to minority or disadvantaged groups — including racial minorities, people with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ communities — face even greater exposure to online violence.

Why the increase?

Several factors are driving the increase in public hostility, including rising political polarisation, economic and social pressures that contribute to public frustration, the amplification of anger through social media, and declining trust in public institutions.

Who are the perpetrators?

• Violence against MPs is primarily perpetrated by individuals rather than organised groups.

• Online, anonymous users are identified as perpetrators by around 9 out of 10 MPs in Argentina, Italy, Malaysia and the Netherlands (89-93 per cent).

Impact on democracy

• The IPU warns that public intimidation of Members of Parliament can have serious consequences for democracy.

• As hostility increases, many MPs report censoring themselves, avoiding certain public appearances, and experiencing negative impacts on their family members.

• Some also choose to step down or not seek re-election. 

• Over time, the report warns, these trends can erode democratic representation, discourage diversity, and weaken parliaments as democratic institutions.

• Over time, this weakens parliament as an institution, erodes the quality of democratic debate, and deters capable individuals from pursuing public office.

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) 

• The IPU is the global organisation of national parliaments. 

• It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organisation in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. 

• The IPU comprises 183 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. 

• It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development. 

• It helps parliaments become stronger, younger, greener and more gender-balanced. 

• It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.