Middle East — 2026-10-25

European Parliament Asks EU to List Houthis as Terror Group

BLUFDespite growing Gulf-linked security pressures, EU terrorist listing of the Houthis is very unlikely by year's end because the Parliament's vote is non-binding and Council unanimity remains out of reach.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday urging the EU Council to list the Houthi movement, including its military and political wings, leadership and security apparatus, as a terrorist organisation 12. Arab News called the vote overwhelming and non-binding, and said listing requires unanimity among member states 3. The text condemned Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on Riyadh's airport, and demanded that financing channels be dismantled and assets frozen 34. It also condemned Iranian arms and training support and backed expanding the ASPIDES naval mission 24. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said member state agreement is needed, and that a postponed EU-Gulf summit in Riyadh was a consequence of the attacks 1.

Analysis
The Parliament's vote is non-binding, and listing needs unanimity among 27 governments, so a single holdout blocks it. Kallas's remark that member state agreement is still required shows that consensus has not been secured. The Council of the European Union is very unlikely to adopt a decision listing the Houthis as a terrorist organisation by December 31, 2026. Pressure will build through Gulf-linked security costs, including the postponed Riyadh summit and Red Sea energy disruption, and through Saudi lobbying. Confidence is high, because five outlets (The National, Eunews, Arab News, Brussels Times and Euronews) independently report the same vote, the non-binding status, the unanimity requirement and Kallas's comments, despite mixed reliability records. All of them are secondary and rest on one Parliament statement, with no Council document or outside outlet corroborating the Gulf-leaning coverage. The resolution may instead signal support to Riyadh and build leverage for narrower measures, such as targeted sanctions on Houthi financiers. If the Council lists the group, EU banks and aid agencies in Yemen face asset freezes and compliance exposure, and Gulf partners may revive the summit. If it does not, Brussels stays with ASPIDES and targeted sanctions, and Riyadh keeps relying on London and Paris.
5 sources
  1. European Parliament asks EU to list Houthis as terror group - The National
  2. EU Parliament urges Houthi terror designation, citing law violations, energy fallout - The Brussels Times
  3. European Parliament calls for Houthi terrorist listing - Arab News
  4. European Parliament wants Houthis added to EU terrorist list - Eunews
  5. MEPs call for Yemen's Houthis to be added to EU terrorist list - Euronews

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