Brussels, July 2025 — In a forceful rebuke to Beijing’s ongoing attempts to interfere in Tibetan religious matters, 38 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from 15 EU nations have issued a unified call urging China to refrain from meddling in the selection of the next Dalai Lama. The op-ed, published in EUobserver on Friday, also calls for potential sanctions against Chinese officials involved in undermining the religious rights of Tibetans.
Signed by MEPs from four major political groupings: the Socialists & Democrats (S&D), European People’s Party (EPP), Greens/EFA, and Renew Europe. The statement is a rare and resolute gesture of solidarity from across Europe’s political spectrum.
A Response to the Dalai Lama’s Affirmation
The coordinated initiative follows a significant public statement released just two days earlier by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, who declared that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue, and affirmed that the succession process lies solely with him and the Gaden Phodrang Trust, headquartered in Dharamshala, India.
In that statement, the Tibetan spiritual leader made it unambiguously clear: “No government, including the People’s Republic of China, has the authority to determine the next Dalai Lama.”
Europe Draws a Line
The European lawmakers’ appeal highlights increasing concern over Beijing’s growing religious authoritarianism, particularly the Chinese Communist Party’s attempts to control Tibetan reincarnation traditions through the discredited “golden urn” system and by invoking Chinese national law over sacred religious processes.
The MEPs cite the European Parliament’s resolution of May 2025 and the recent EU-China Human Rights Dialogue as proof that the European Union is committed to protecting religious freedom and standing up for Tibetan rights.
A Stark Warning
“This is not merely a Tibetan issue,” the MEPs write. “It is a test of the international community’s commitment to religious freedom.”
They warn that Beijing’s imposition of its own Dalai Lama would represent a direct violation of international religious rights and set a dangerous global precedent. To counter this, the lawmakers are urging the EU to consider applying targeted sanctions under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, also known as the European Magnitsky Act.
If Beijing presses ahead with its plans, the MEPs assert, Chinese officials involved in the manipulation of the succession process should face concrete consequences.
Renewing the Path of Dialogue
In addition to their critique of Chinese interference, the MEPs called on the Chinese government to resume dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s representatives, suspended since 2010. They point to the 2008 Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy, proposed by the Tibetan side, as a reasonable and peaceful framework for resolving the long-standing conflict.
“The door to negotiation is not closed,” the lawmakers argue. “But it requires sincerity, not control.”
A Call to Conscience
The op-ed ends with a stirring reminder to European institutions and citizens alike: support for Tibet is not an act of charity. It is a matter of justice and principle. Europe, they argue, must stand with the Tibetan people not only out of solidarity, but to preserve the sanctity of religious freedom, now under siege.
As the 14th Dalai Lama approaches the twilight of his earthly life, the global spotlight is shifting toward his eventual successor. With this move, the European Parliamentarians have made one thing crystal clear: Tibet’s spiritual future belongs to Tibetans, not to Beijing’s bureaucrats.
“The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama cannot be dictated by law or ideology,” the lawmakers write. “It is a matter of faith. A matter of freedom.”
