Perquisitions au Parlement européen dans une enquête visant l’ancien groupe du RN
Ces perquisitions s’inscrivent dans le cadre d’une enquête sur des soupçons d’utilisation irrégulière des fonds du Parlement européen par l’ancien groupe Identité et démocratie.
Strasbourg — European prosecutors conducted a search on Wednesday morning at the offices of the far-right Patriotes group within the European Parliament. These searches form part of an investigation into allegations of irregularities in the use of European funds, targeting the former Identity and Democracy (ID) group. In 2025, the Parliament's financial service discovered that ID had spent €4.3 million between 2019 and 2024 on fraudulent donations and tender calls.
The European Prosecutor, responsible for investigating financial crimes affecting the EU's budget, initiated the inquiry based on Parliament's reports. "Perquisitions are underway at the European Parliament in Strasbourg today, targeting the former Identity and Democracy group's offices," Jean-Paul Garraud, president of the European Parliament delegation for deputies from the RN, reported on X. The searches took place in the group's secretariat general offices, according to two unnamed officials who wished to remain anonymous.
When ID was disbanded in 2024, many of its members joined the Patriotes, including elected officials from the National Rally (RN), the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), the Hungarian Fidesz, the Flemish Interest (Vlaams Belang) from Belgium, Czech ANO 2011, and the Spanish Vox party. In a statement, the Patriotes emphasized that there is "no legal continuity" with ID and that they "are not targeted" by the searches.
The allegations concern the use of the annual budget allocated by the European Parliament to political groups to cover administrative and operational expenses. The European Prosecutor is investigating whether ID paid irregular donations to regional organizations in several EU countries and whether it violated rules regarding tenders awarded to companies close to the group.
In 2025, the financial service ordered the Patriotes to return €276,967 in EU funds that it claimed had been improperly spent in irregular tender procedures during the second half of 2024. "As always when asked, the Parliament is cooperating with the competent authorities. We have no further comments," a European Parliament spokesperson said in a text message.
This article was first published by POLITICO in English, then edited in French by Jean-Christophe Catalon.
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