Brussels is once again using legal tools to clamp down on EU-critical political forces: the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced on Tuesday, July 8th that it has formally launched an investigation into the former Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament over the suspected misuse of EU parliamentary funds.
The right-wing ID group was formally disbanded after the European elections last year and was succeeded by a new grouping, the sovereignist Patriots for Europe (PfE). Both ID and PfE’s largest member party is Marine Le Pen’s French nationalist Rassemblement National.
The move by EPPO echoes efforts in France to derail Marine Le Pen’s presidential campaign through legal pressure. Le Pen was found guilty earlier this year of the misuse of EU funds, barring her from taking part in the 2027 presidential election, in what can be called politically motivated charges.
Of the latest probe, Le Pen’s ally Jordan Bardella, who now heads the Patriots group, said the EPPO investigation represented a “new harassment operation by the European Parliament.”
A parliamentary report said the ID was suspected of improperly spending €4.3 million between 2019 and 2024.
