The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) welcomes the op-ed published today in EUobserver, signed by 34 Members of the European Parliament from 15 EU countries, urging China not to interfere in the selection of the next Dalai Lama.
This initiative comes just two days after the Dalai Lama released a public statement affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue and that decisions regarding his succession will rest solely with him and the Gaden Phodrang Trust, based in Dharamshala, India. The statement reiterates that no government, including the People’s Republic of China, has the authority to influence this spiritual process.
In their op-ed, the MEPs of four political groups (S&D, EPP, Greens and Renew Europe) call for the EU to consider targeted sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for violating the religious rights of Tibetans, including those involved in any attempt to control or manipulate the process of the Dalai Lama’s succession.
The European Parliament has repeatedly expressed its opposition to Chinese interference in Tibetan religious affairs including lately in its resolution of May 2025. In its most recent EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, the EU also raised the issue of succession, calling on China to respect the religious freedom of Tibetans and to refrain from imposing a successor.
The ICT views today’s op-ed as a continuation of the European Parliament’s long-standing interest in the human rights situation in Tibet, including freedom of religion and belief.