🔗 Share this article

The president-elect of the Oxford Union has been ousted from office after failing a vote of confidence that came after his disputed social media posts about Charlie Kirk.

The vote against the student leader achieved the required two-thirds threshold to oust him from his position, according to an announcement from the society.

Contentious Posts

The controversy erupted after Mr Abaraonye reportedly posted messages on online platforms that appeared to welcome the death of Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot while speaking at a college in Utah.

According to sources, one social media message reportedly stated "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an elongated version of the phrase 'lol'.

The president-elect is also said to have written in a messaging group with other members appearing to welcome the incident.

Election Results

The vote of confidence was conducted over the weekend, with results announced on this week.

Official notices showed that 1,228 ballots were cast in favor of removal, while just over five hundred were opposed the motion.

The announcement stated that the president-elect was deemed to have resigned in following the society's regulations.

Procedural Disputes

Proceedings were temporarily halted early on Monday after the returning officer was reportedly subjected to "obstruction, intimidation, and unwarranted hostility" from multiple individuals.

In a response, Mr Abaraonye claimed that the count had been halted because electoral officials believed "no valid outcome could be reached as a result of procedural failures".

His statement categorically refuted that any representative acting for George had engaged in threatening or obstructive conduct.

Ongoing Dispute

The student stated that significant concerns had been submitted to the disciplinary committee and that he continued as president-elect.

His statement added that he was "grateful and honored to have the support of significantly more than half of students at Oxford" who supported a "secure voting process and oppose efforts to undermine the electoral process".

Opponents have said that any failure to remove him would "signal to the world that the society has chosen ideology over integrity".

External Reactions

On recently, Kirk's former chief of staff read out an public message to the Oxford Union on The Charlie Kirk Show podcast.

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

The statement warned that if the student were to remain in post, Kirk's allies would "personally contact every American political speaker who has ever graced the union's chamber and urge them never again to lend their name".

The Oxford Union had earlier criticized Mr Abaraonye's comments after the activist's killing and confirmed that concerns filed against him had been forwarded for disciplinary proceedings.

The student leader had been one of multiple members to discuss with Kirk at the society in May.