From workplace harassment to fraud, nepotism and corruption – 163 of the 704 current Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have been implicated in various scandals.
There have been 253 cases in recent years, according to a study carried out by Follow the Money, L'Echo, De Tijd and media outlets from 22 EU Member States. Among the identified issues are: 45 cases of corruption; 29 instances of nepotism (where an MEP uses their influence to benefit a relative); and 16 cases of outright bribery.
According to the study, out of 253 cases highlighted in the report, only 23 have resulted in convictions.
Qatargate is the most notorious example of corruption when Eva Kailli and a network of MEPs accepted enormous sums of money from Qatari, Moroccan and Mauritanian officials looking to influence decision-making, which was exposed in December 2022 and is a developing case.
Some MEPs have even faced prison sentences, such as Ioannis Lagos of the Greek far-right party Golden Dawn, who received a 13-year term for several charges, including running a criminal organisation, but remains active as an MEP from his cell in Greece and still receives a salary from the European Parliament.
Harassment, particularly sexual harassment, is also a prevalent issue within European institutions. The research identified 46 official complaints of indecent behaviour at work, with 37 MEPs making headlines. In a further 44 cases, MEPs were implicated in fraud or embezzlement of funds.
The Belgian touch?
Six out of the 21 Belgian MEPs have been implicated in various degrees of scandals. Marc Tarabella (ex-PS) emerged as a key figure in the Qatargate case under suspicion of corruption, money laundering and criminal association. According to a confession by MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, Tarabella pocketed €120,000 in cash from Qatari officials. Tarabella was arrested early last year and maintains his innocence.
Marie Arena (PS) is also mentioned in the context of Qatargate. She has not been formally charged but has come under intense scrutiny from investigators, with two federal judges requesting to lift her immunity which was rejected by the Federal Prosecutor's Office. No suspect, not even the informant Panzeri, has so far named her as the recipient of money. Her properties were searched but she was not detained.
The European Parliament is currently conducting an investigation into racist language used by Vlaams Belang MEP Tom Vandendriessche during a plenary session in Strasbourg in January.
Vandendriessche was also blocked on Facebook in early 2021 after a post in June 2020 after likened Black Lives Matter movement as akin to book-burning in Nazi Germany. At the time, he wrote: "After street names, TV series and statues, it will be books' turn. And finally ours. Until our civilisation is completely wiped out. If fascism returns one day, it will be under the name of anti-fascism." He has since taken Facebook's parent company Meta to court.
Vlaams Belang MEP Tom Vandendriessche has been accused of using 'Nazi-like' language. Credit: EP Photo
Separately, Filip De Man (Vlaams Belang) has been convicted of committing hit-and-runs on several of his neighbours' cars. He was fined and banned from driving for 45 days.
In 2019, Olivier Chastel (MR) found himself in hot water when Walloon minister Valérie De Bue (MR) overturned a decision to create a profitable management position at the ISPPC hospital in Charleroi.
It is believed the post was intended specifically for Chastel's half-brother, but the MEP has denied this, alongside a separate scandal where he received football jerseys and tickets from football agent Mogi Bayat in 2016. Bayat is involved in separate fraud scandals in Belgium.
In November 2022, a former employee of Assita Kanko (N-VA) lodged a complaint against the MEP. Kanko was accused of psychological harassment, humiliation and expecting impossible tasks to be completed.
However, the European Parliament's disciplinary committee ruled that she was not guilty of harassment, so this case is not included in the final count of scandals involving MEPs.
