EU prosecutors open probe into far-right group linked to Le Pen

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched a formal investigation into allegations of misuse of EU funds by Identity and Democracy, a defunct far-right group in the European Parliament that included France’s Rassemblement National, a spokesperson for EPPO said on July 8, Report informs referring to Euractiv.

The spokesperson confirmed to Euractiv that “EPPO has opened an investigation,” following media reports that ID allegedly misused over €4.3 million in EU funds between 2019 and 2024. The spokesperson declined to comment further, citing the confidentiality of the investigation.

No individuals have yet been charged and all are presumed innocent.

The case follows findings from a draft audit by the European Parliament, excerpts of which were reported in early July by Le Monde, Germany’s Die Zeit, and Austria’s Kontraste. The audit reportedly pointed to irregular spending by ID-affiliated parties, including alleged fictitious service contracts, improper procurement procedures, and donations for non-parliamentary activities to groups with links to far-right figureheads, including France's Marine Le Pen.

Philip Claeys, ID’s former secretary-general, denied wrongdoing. “All payments made in the last five years have been duly invoiced, justified and controlled,” he previously told Le Monde.

EPPO is in charge of investigating serious crimes affecting the financial interests of the EU and liaises with national law enforcement for its investigations.

The ID group was dissolved shortly after the last EU elections in June 2024, when it was suceeded by the Patriots for Europe group that sits in the current Parliament.

The investigation adds to a growing pile of legal proceedings involving Le Pen and her party. In a separate case earlier this year, a Paris court convicted Le Pen of misusing EU funds related to parliamentary assistant jobs and deemed her ineligible to stand in elections for the next five years. She is appealing the ruling.

Le Pen has dismissed the latest allegations as politically motivated.