Brussels university debates promotion named after Rima Hassan
The Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) is set to decide on Thursday whether to validate the naming of a graduating class in honor of Franco-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan, a decision that has sparked intense controversy in Belgium.
The proposal, the result of a student vote earlier this summer at the Faculty of Law and Criminology, will be examined by the faculty council, which includes both professors and student representatives. The decision, awaited by political leaders and the academic community, has become a focal point of national debate.
Hassan, a 33-year-old lawyer and member of the European Parliament for France’s left-wing party La France insoumise, is facing a judicial investigation in France for “apology of terrorism” due to comments interpreted as support for Hamas following the October 7 attacks. She has been expelled from Israel after attempting to reach Gaza aboard a humanitarian boat aimed at breaking the blockade.
Her critics argue that associating her name with a university class tarnishes the institution’s reputation. A public letter signed by prominent French figures, including lawyer Arno Klarsfeld and former ministers Bernard Kouchner and Luc Ferry, urged the ULB to reject the choice, accusing Hassan of failing to condemn Hamas.
However, many students defend the decision, calling it a symbolic stand for international law and human rights in Gaza. “We wanted to show that silence is no longer acceptable,” said student Violaine La Fontaine in a video widely shared on social media.
While the faculty council usually validates student choices, this case has turned into a wider political controversy, reflecting how the Gaza conflict continues to stir debates on European campuses.
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