Federalisten zijn tegen plakette Johannes Paulus II in Europees Parlement (en)

The Young European Federalists (JEF-Europe) are concerned about an initiative to name the new wing of the European Parliament building in Brussels after the late Pope John Paul II.

The existing two wings are named after Belgian politician Paul-Henri Spaak and the Italian ideologue Altiero Spinelli who helped build the EU in the 1950s and 1970s.

"Spaak and Spinelli devoted their lives to the creation and democratisation of the European Union, while John Paul II devoted his life to achieve objectives related to the role of the Roman-Catholic church", Jon Worth, the president of JEF-Europe stated in a press release.

"There are several personalities that would better deserve their names being associated with the European integration process and in this light, we believe that the Pope should not be placed alongside the fathers of the EU".

The Young European Federalists were also opposed to including references to God in the European Constitution.