EU prosecutors raid far-right group's offices in €4 million funds scandal

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office, or EPPO, searched offices used by the Patriots for Europe group at the European Parliament’s Brussels and Strasbourg sites. The searches concern alleged misuse of EU money, making them significant because Parliament groups receive public funding and may face repayment claims.

The investigation focuses on Identity and Democracy, a now-dissolved far-right group that operated from 2019 to 2024. Its members included France’s National Rally, Italy’s Lega and Germany’s Alternative for Germany. Many of those parties later joined Patriots for Europe, alongside Spain’s Vox and Hungary’s Fidesz.

Patriots for Europe says it has no legal continuity with Identity and Democracy and is not involved. However, the Parliament confirmed that the searches were linked to the former group, and a parliamentary opinion said Patriots for Europe could become responsible for more than €4 million if the alleged misuse is confirmed.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office, known as EPPO, is an independent European Union body. It investigates and prosecutes crimes that damage the EU budget. Its work matters because EU funds come from public money, and cross-border cases can be difficult for individual national authorities to handle alone.

Its remit includes suspected fraud involving EU money, corruption connected with EU funds, money laundering and serious cross-border value-added-tax fraud. In this case, EPPO is investigating alleged misappropriation of EU funds by Identity and Democracy, a European Parliament political group that existed from 2019 to 2024.

The article reports that EPPO searched offices linked to Patriots for Europe in Brussels and Strasbourg. It does not give further details about the evidence or possible charges. The investigation remains ongoing, and any repayment or legal consequences would depend on its findings and later decisions.

The alleged misuse involves more than €4 million in European Union funds. That figure matters because it shows the investigation concerns a substantial amount of public money, not a minor accounting dispute. The money was allegedly misused by the former Identity and Democracy group.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has been investigating the alleged misappropriation since last July. The suspected period runs from 2019 to 2024, covering the previous European Parliament term. Identity and Democracy brought together MEPs from several far-right parties during those years.

Identity and Democracy dissolved after the 2024 European elections. The Parliament’s budgetary control committee later argued that funds wrongly spent during the previous term should be repaid by Patriots for Europe if the investigation closes with that conclusion. The article does not state that misuse has been proven.

If investigators conclude that Identity and Democracy misused EU funds, Patriots for Europe could be required to repay more than €4 million. This matters because the financial responsibility could follow the political group’s assets, members or public identity after a reorganisation.

Identity and Democracy dissolved after the 2024 European elections. Many of its parties then helped form Patriots for Europe, which also includes Vox and Fidesz. A parliamentary budgetary control opinion said money wrongly spent by the former group should be repaid by its successor once the investigation is closed.

Patriots for Europe rejects that connection. It says Identity and Democracy dissolved in 2024 and that the new group has no legal continuity with it. The final outcome is not stated. It depends on the investigation and whether Parliament’s successor rules are judged to apply.

A political group can be treated as the successor of a dissolved European Parliament group when the change looks like continuity in practice. This matters because dissolving one group and creating another should not automatically erase outstanding financial obligations.

The Parliament considers several signs. A decisive share of the old group’s members may move together into the new one. Premises, IT systems, bank accounts or other assets may also transfer. The new name and public messaging can further present it as the old group’s direct heir, or the rebranding may happen so quickly that it appears designed mainly to avoid liabilities.

Patriots for Europe says it has no legal continuity with Identity and Democracy. However, many former ID parties joined PfE, and the Parliament’s budgetary control committee argued that PfE could owe repayment. The final decision would follow the investigation and application of these conditions.

The European Parliament uses practical signs to decide whether a new political group succeeded a dissolved one. This matters because legal responsibility may depend on what the organisation continued doing, not only on the name used in registration.

One sign is that a decisive share of the former group’s members moved together into the new formation. Other signs include the transfer of premises, IT systems, bank accounts or other assets. The new group’s name and public messaging may also present it as the dissolved group’s direct heir.

Timing can matter too. If a new group appears so soon after dissolution that the rebranding seems mainly designed to shed liabilities, that supports successor status. In the case described, many Identity and Democracy parties joined Patriots for Europe. The article does not say whether every condition has been met or whether a final ruling exists.

European Parliament political groups bring together MEPs from different countries who share political positions. They help members coordinate votes, shape legislation, divide committee work and present common views. Group organisation also gives MEPs a practical structure for participating in Parliament’s work.

These groups receive EU support for parliamentary activities, such as staff, administration, research and communication connected with their work. The money is restricted to parliamentary purposes. It is not personal funding for individual MEPs or a general budget for political parties outside Parliament.

That support explains the importance of this case. Identity and Democracy is alleged to have misused more than €4 million between 2019 and 2024. EPPO is investigating, while Parliament rules may make a successor group responsible for debts. The article does not detail the specific spending alleged to be improper.