European Parliament blocks investigation into Patriots for Europe

The decision saw the far-right Patriots for Europe, led by Jordan Bardella, gain critical support from the centre-right European People’s Party. Internal audits suggested the group violated spending rules by awarding contracts to party-linked companies. Instead of a formal referral to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, the committee chose a financial settlement, triggering immediate backlash from accountability advocates.

Transparency International EU has since bypassed the chamber, filing a formal complaint directly with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Nick Aiossa, the organization’s director, cited a persistent pattern of misuse regarding taxpayer money and a systemic failure within parliament to enforce oversight. The move comes as the prosecutor’s office continues to investigate the group's predecessor, Identity and Democracy, for the alleged misappropriation of €4.3 million.

Defending their position, representatives like Hungary’s Tamas Deutsch dismissed the scrutiny as a politically motivated witch-hunt. This friction occurs against a backdrop of recent scandal, including the conviction of Marine Le Pen for embezzling parliamentary funds to finance her national political operations. With the institution still reeling from previous corruption probes involving foreign cash, critics argue the vote reflects a broader strategy to avoid further reputational damage by containing scandals internally.