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The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) said on Tuesday it was carrying out investigative measures in France and other European countries as part of a probe into the use of EU funds by a former political group in the European Parliament.<\/p>\n
Jordan Bardella, head of France’s far-right Rassemblement National (RN), wrote on X that searches had been under way since Tuesday morning at the premises and homes of communications service providers that had worked with the party.<\/p>\n
Bardella said the party had done nothing wrong and would prove it.<\/p>\n
An EPPO spokeswoman said the measures were part of an ongoing investigation into the use of EU funds by a former European Parliament group between 2019 and 2024.<\/p>\n
She did not say which group was involved or which countries were affected, adding that no further details would be released for now to avoid jeopardizing the ongoing proceedings.<\/p>\n
Newspaper Le Monde reported searches in France, Belgium, Italy and Spain in connection with possible misuse of EU funds by the former Identity and Democracy (ID) group.<\/p>\n
The right-wing nationalist group existed from 2019 to 2024 and included the RN, Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), Austria’s Freedom Party (FP\u00d6) and Italy’s Lega.<\/p>\n
European Parliament auditors later concluded that ID members had misused at least \u20ac4.3 million ($4.9 million) in EU funds during the previous legislative term.<\/p>\n
According to their report, money flowed to companies close to the group and to associations supporting anti-abortion campaigners.<\/p>\n
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office investigates crimes affecting the EU’s financial interests.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n