This included alleged inflated and fictitious contracts, violations of procurement procedures and donations for non-parliamentary activities to groups — including a non-profit in France that sterilizes cats — linked to politicians in the ID group.
Philip Claeys, the group’s former secretary-general, denied any wrongdoing last week, saying that all the payments were “duly invoiced and justified.”
The ID group in the previous European Parliament term featured far-right and nationalist parties such as France’s National Rally (RN) and the Alternative for Germany.
Earlier this year, RN leader Marine Le Pen was found guilty of embezzling European Parliament funds in a separate case, making her ineligible to run for French president. She is currently appealing the decision.
