Prosecutors search European Parliament offices of far-right Patriots bloc in graft probe

The far-right European Parliament group of French presidential frontrunner Marine Le Pen’s party said Wednesday EU prosecutors were searching its offices as part of a graft probe into its now-defunct predecessor. The Patriots for Europe group said the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) had been searching its administrative offices in Brussels and Strasbourg “since this morning”. “It would appear that these searches are linked to the complaint lodged against the Identity and Democracy (ID) group, which dissolved in 2024,” the group said, adding it had no “legal continuity” with ID and was not involved in the ongoing investigation. The EPPO confirmed the searches, saying they were part of “an ongoing investigation into the use of European funds by a former political group”. “No further details will be made public for the time being, in order not to endanger the outcome of the proceedings,” it said. Read moreEU probes alleged misuse of funds by far-right lawmakers including ex-Le Pen adviser The anti-graft body has been probing an alleged misappropriation of EU funds by the ID, which brought together lawmakers from a range of far-right parties including France’s National Rally...