EU prosecutors raid far-right Patriots for Europe offices in Brussels and Strasbourg over alleged misuse of parliament funds

Offices of staff in the Patriots for Europe (PfE) group were raided in France and Belgium on Wednesday (21 October). The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) told EUobserver that searches were carried out “as part of an ongoing investigation into the use of European funds by a former political group in the European Parliament”. But the law enforcement body said it would not release details of the investigation for now, to avoid jeopardising the integrity of the case. The far-right PfE group in the European Parliament, led by Jordan Bardella of the French National Rally (RN) party, posted a statement on social media claiming that on Wednesday morning, the EPPO carried out searches in administrative offices at the European Parliament premises in Brussels and Strasbourg. “It would appear that these searches are linked to the complaint lodged against the Identity and Democracy Group (ID) dissolved in 2024,” said PfE’s X post. To read this story, log in or subscribeEnjoy access to all articles and 25 years of archives, comment and gift articles. Become a subscriber for as low as €1,75 per week.Read without limitsAlready a subscriber? Login