Raids in Europe over alleged far-right embezzlement: EU prosecutors

PARIS - EU prosecutors said on June 30 they were conducting searches in France and other countries into alleged misappropriation of EU funds by a defunct far-right group in the European Parliament.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) said it was “carrying out investigative measures in France and other European countries as part of an ongoing investigation into the use of EU funds by a former political group of the European Parliament between 2019 and 2024.”

It confirmed a report in the French daily Le Monde, which said raids were under way in France, Spain, Italy and Belgium as part of a probe into the alleged misuse of European Parliament funds by the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group.

The ID group contained MEPs from a range of Eurosceptic parties including France’s National Rally (RN), Italy’s League and the Alternative for Germany.

ID was formally disbanded after elections in 2024 and was succeeded by a new grouping, Patriots for Europe.

RN president Jordan Bardella, who heads the Patriots group, said the probe represented a “new harassment operation by the European Parliament”.

“Since early this morning, searches have been under way at the offices and private homes of communications service providers who have worked with us,” Bardella said on X.

The EU’s prosecutor announced formal investigations in July 2025 after media quoted a parliamentary report as saying said ID was suspected of improperly spending €4.3 million (S$6.3 million) between 2019 and 2024.

The RN is eyeing its best chance yet of winning the presidency in France 2027, with polls suggesting it will have a commanding lead in the first round of voting.

But three-time RN presidential candidate Marine Le Pen may have to quit the race, and let Bardella run instead, if a Paris court next week upholds a five-year ban from office in a separate case of alleged fake jobs in EU parliament from 2004 to 2016. AFP