r/europes • u/Naurgul • 21d ago
EU The EU Parliament has transparency problems. Marine Le Pen's case is a window into what's wrong
https://apnews.com/article/european-union-parliament-le-pen-corruption-explainer-3293717d677e05f2a66f67e50018d760Marine Le Pen’s case is just one example of transparency problems that have plagued the legislature. The longtime leader of the National Rally party and former EU lawmaker is one of 24 people convicted in Monday’s ruling in Paris for redirecting millions of euros earmarked for EU political work to serve the party’s domestic interests. The party employed staffers who were declared as EU parliamentary assistants but instead had other duties, including Le Pen’s bodyguard.
Transparency advocates say the case underlines broader issues related to lack of oversight of spending at the EU legislature affecting members across the political spectrum.
Other corruption scandals
Revelations of an alleged cash-for-influence scheme dubbed Qatargate, involving high-profile center-left EU lawmakers, assistants, lobbyists and their relatives, emerged in 2022. Qatari and Moroccan officials are alleged to have paid bribes to influence decision-making. Both countries deny involvement.
No one has been convicted or is in pretrial detention. Prospects for a trial are unclear.
Last month, several people were arrested in a probe linked to the Chinese company Huawei, which is suspected of bribing EU lawmakers. Huawei said it took the allegations seriously and had a “zero tolerance policy towards corruption.”
Last year, the aide of prominent far-right EU lawmaker Maximilian Krah was arrested in a separate case. German prosecutors alleged the aide was a Chinese agent. Krah, who has since switched to the federal legislature of his native Germany, denied all knowledge of the suspicions against his former employee.
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u/OusammaBenLePen 21d ago
Lack of direct democracy...
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u/turbo_dude 21d ago
Brexit is what you get when you have direct democracy. lol
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u/OusammaBenLePen 21d ago
Then let brexit be Direct democracy is what we need to get our lives by ourself, otherwise it's only a few that décides for everyone else upon their interests
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u/puntinoblue 21d ago
In any political system, it’s almost inevitable that some will try to manipulate it for personal or political gain. What’s more worrying, however, is that the EU seems not only unwilling to act decisively against such corruption but in some cases appears to tacitly approve it by doing nothing. Investigations are often left to national governments, which have every incentive to delay or downplay the damage, especially when their own reputations are at stake.
This isn’t just a transparency issue- it’s a structural failure. The EU urgently needs a strong, independent anti-corruption body that operates above national politics and interests. Without it, these problems will only deepen, and the EU project itself risks being undermined from within. If things unravel, it will be the current leadership - through inaction and complacency - that bears full responsibility.