By a margin of just one vote, the plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg has approved immunity for Ilaria Salis, MEP for the Green and Left Alliance. There were 306 votes in favor, 305 opposed, and 17 abstentions. The decision, taken by secret ballot as required by the Parliament’s rules, came after a tense and crowded session: 628 members voted out of 728. Following the result, the chamber erupted in cheers, hugs, and tears, with many MEPs surrounding Salis to congratulate her. Some even presented her with a bouquet of flowers, symbolizing the European progressive front's solidarity in recent months. In a post-vote statement, Ilaria Salis described the verdict as "a victory for democracy, the rule of law, and anti-fascism". "This vote serves as evidence that resistance is effective", she wrote, "and that authoritarian forces can be defeated when representatives, activists, and citizens unite to defend democratic values. But the struggle is not over: threats persist, and we must continue to defend those who stand against fascism". During the session, a Hungarian MP denounced alleged voting system flaws and requested a rerun, but President Roberta Metsola denied the request, confirming the outcome. The plenary vote confirmed the position of the Legal Affairs Committee (JURI), which just days earlier had narrowly endorsed maintaining Salis’s immunity (13 to 12). Ilaria Salis is being accused in Hungary of participating in an assault on two far-right activists in February 2023 during a counter-demonstration on the so-called "Day of Honour", an event that honours pro-Nazi fighters from World War II. The MP has been in prison in Budapest for 15 months, denouncing harsh conditions and drawing the attention of various international human rights organizations.