Proposal solicited for a worker radiation safety directive, covering risks associated with ionizing radiation exposure.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) is currently investigating the former far-right European Parliament group Identity and Democracy (ID) for the alleged misuse of €4.3 million in EU funds during the 2019-2024 parliamentary term. The investigation was opened in July 2025 following media reports and a confidential European Parliament audit that uncovered irregular spending and improper procurement practices by the group [1][3][4][5].
The ID group, which consisted of around 10 far-right and eurosceptic parties, including Marine Le Pen's Rassemblement National (RN), is under scrutiny for the misuse of funds that reportedly went to former radical activists close to Le Pen and organizations linked to far-right officials or causes without any genuine procurement process [2][3].
This scandal follows an earlier, related case involving the RN's scheme of fake European parliamentary assistant jobs, which caused financial losses of about €4.5 million and resulted in convictions, including Marine Le Pen's ban from running for office [2]. The alleged irregularities in the current case involve improper spending of operational funds and donations to non-parliamentary activities, in ways detrimental to the European Parliament's budget [4][5].
It is important to note that the verdict in the trial is not yet final, and the spokesperson for the Public Prosecutor's Office declined to comment on details of the investigation. Media outlets such as "Die Zeit" and the ARD magazine "Kontraste" have referred to an internal audit report of the parliamentary administration [3].
This investigation is one of several high-profile financial probes into far-right groups linked to Marine Le Pen. It highlights ongoing concerns about misuse of EU public funds and governance within the European Parliament's funding mechanisms. The probe is active as of early July 2025, with further developments expected as the investigation progresses [1][3][4][5].
The now-dissolved ID group included the German AfD. After the dissolution of the ID group, AfD joined with other right-wing parties in the group ESN in the new legislative period in the EU Parliament. This is not the first time the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has investigated in the environment of the European Parliament. In October, the EPPO investigated allegations of misuse of EU funds in Belgium by members of a group in the European Parliament [6].
References: [1] ARD (2025). EU-Finanzbehörde untersucht Vorwürfe von EU-Mittelmissbrauch beim rechtsextremen EU-Parlamentsblock ID. [URL] [2] Die Zeit (2025). EU-Parlament: Marine Le Pen und der RN-Skandal um EU-Mittelmissbrauch. [URL] [3] Kontraste (2025). EU-Finanzbehörde untersucht Vorwürfe von EU-Mittelmissbrauch beim rechtsextremen EU-Parlamentsblock ID. [URL] [4] Euractiv (2025). EU Parliament group under investigation for misuse of EU funds. [URL] [5] Politico (2025). EU investigates far-right ID group over alleged misuse of funds. [URL] [6] Deutsche Welle (2025). EU-Behörde untersucht Vorwürfe von EU-Mittelmissbrauch in Belgien. [URL]
The ongoing investigation by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) involves the misuse of EU funds by the Identity and Democracy (ID) group, a business matter that extends to the political sphere, as the group is under scrutiny for potentially improper financial dealings. This probe is significant in the general news landscape, as it highlights concerns about the misuse of EU public funds and governance within the European Parliament's funding mechanisms.
