The Oxford Union has been plunged into fresh turmoil after its president-elect, Catherine Xu, was removed from office over allegations of election-ringing, with a tribunal finding her guilty of orchestrating a scheme to impersonate legitimate voters during the Hilary Term 2026 ballot. Ms Xu, a postgraduate student at Exeter College who had been due to assume the presidency in Michaelmas term, has strenuously denied the accusations, dismissing them as “political drama” and insisting the evidence against her is “fabricated or materially unreliable”.
Evidence of Election Fraud
The tribunal’s findings centre on a coordinated effort by Ms Xu and another candidate, Yolanda Liu, who was standing for the secretary’s committee, to provide Union membership cards to individuals who were not members, enabling them to cast votes. According to the tribunal documentation, Ms Xu retrieved membership cards from her locker at Exeter College on polling day and distributed them to non-members. Witness testimony from Celine Li stated that she received a membership card belonging to Lisa Chung with instructions to vote for candidates Ea Ventura Marty and Ms Xu.
Messages exchanged between Ms Xu and Ms Liu on WeChat revealed discussions about “finding people”, with Ms Xu advising Ms Liu to be “especially careful”. A voice message sent by Ms Xu to Ms Liu several days after the election, enquiring whether she still possessed “the cards”, was deemed “particularly damning” by the tribunal. The investigation was sparked when Leo Zhou, a candidate for the secretary’s committee, discovered several students casting ballots using other members’ identification on 6 March and challenged them. These individuals were allegedly supporting Ms Xu and other Asian candidates, according to the tribunal documentation.
Ms Xu faced seven charges in total. She was found guilty on six of them, including using the Society’s membership records to influence the election, procuring the impersonation of members, and conspiracy with Ms Liu. One charge alleged she threatened and intimidated Mr Zhou “with the purpose and/or effect of deterring him from reporting electoral malpractice to the returning office”. While the tribunal found her not guilty of intimidation aimed at deterring a report, it noted that her conduct towards Mr Zhou “does Ms Xu no credit”. The tribunal described her overall behaviour as “wholly incompatible with the standards of behaviour that would be acceptable for a President of the Society”.
Penalties and Fresh Election
The penalties imposed on Ms Xu are severe and lasting. She has been disqualified from standing in the upcoming Hilary term election, permanently barred from holding any office or appointed role within the Union, and prohibited from nominating candidates in any current or future election. Her membership is suspended until the end of Trinity term, and she is forbidden from sitting on any Union committee apart from the consultative committee. A fresh election for the presidency will be held on Monday.
Ms Xu’s Defence and Counter-Allegations
Ms Xu has said she intends to appeal the decision. She claims that a key witness provided false testimony against her and that her preparation for the tribunal was hampered by being in China during the university break, with time zone differences preventing effective collaboration with her designated Union representatives and limiting her ability to secure supporting witnesses. She has also alleged experiencing racism and harassment from competitors, suggesting they united to spread rumours. Speaking to The Telegraph, she said: “I just feel very upset. It’s not fair. I feel like I’ve been harassed by my competitors, so I want to fight for myself to reveal the truth. The other competitors wanted to remove me. That’s why they united and used Chinese people to spread rumours.”
Union’s Recurring Turmoil
This is the second consecutive year that an incoming Oxford Union president has been removed from office. George Abaraonye, a 20-year-old philosophy, politics and economics student at University College, was ousted last year after appearing to celebrate the death of American conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, having written in a group chat “Charlie Kirk got shot, let’s f****** go”. He subsequently apologised, acknowledging he had “acted without nuance”. The Abaraonye scandal led to speakers withdrawing from events and a pause in a £500,000 donation.
The Union, which operates independently of the University of Oxford, has also faced controversy over its invited speakers. Last month, far-right activist Tommy Robinson (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) was reportedly invited to debate the motion “This House believes the West is right to be suspicious of Islam” on 28 May, drawing criticism from anti-racism groups. The Union has defended its practice of hosting controversial figures as part of its commitment to free speech. In November 2024, the Union voted overwhelmingly that Israel is an “apartheid state responsible for genocide”, a debate that led to further accusations of censorship after a speech by Susan Abulhawa was removed from YouTube.
Ms Xu secured victory in March, defeating rivals Liza Barkova, Gareth Lim and Hamza Hussain. Her campaign pledges included establishing an access membership fund, relocating procedural motions from Thursday debates, and increasing the number of female speakers. Prior to the election, she had said: “The Union is way bigger than its scandals, but the perceived dysfunction keeps drowning out the good. I want to help fix that.”
