Catholic leaders are calling on the European Union to step up and address anti-Christian hatred by appointing a dedicated coordinator, just like it already has for combating hate against Jews and Muslims.

Speaking at the European Parliament, Alessandro Calcagno, an adviser to the bishops on fundamental rights and a spokesperson for the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), believes “the time is mature for the appointment of an EU coordinator on combating anti-Christian hatred in Europe.”

He urged policymakers to move beyond the "majorities versus minorities" mindset and focus on protecting religious freedom for everyone, including safeguarding places of worship and recognising the collective rights of faith communities.

Calcagno also addressed the wider issue of religious freedom, stressing that its collective dimension is often overlooked in favour of individual rights. He pointed out the increasing trend of church attacks in Europe, particularly in France, and the growing number of anti-Christian hate crimes, including both physical violence and ideological aggression.

These attacks, as well as the consistent disregard for anti-Christian hate by the European Commission, have sparked calls for more robust protection for places of worship and greater integration of religious freedom into EU policies.

Earlier this year, a report from the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe)  documented 2,444 hate crimes targeting Christians in 35 European countries, up from 749 incidents in 2022. Of these, 232 were personal attacks on Christians, ranging from harassment to physical violence.

The most affected countries were France, the UK, and Germany.