London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 22, 2025

EU corruption scandal ‘a socialist problem,’ conservatives’ boss claims

EU corruption scandal ‘a socialist problem,’ conservatives’ boss claims

Thanasis Bakolas will help shape the EU conservatives’ messaging campaign for the 2024 election.

A party boss for Europe’s conservatives is blaming socialists for the EU’s worst corruption scandal in decades — an unusually blunt political attack that signals a potential tactic for Europe’s 2024 election.

“This is a socialist problem,” Thanasis Bakolas, secretary-general for the EU-wide, center-right European People’s Party (EPP), told POLITICO in an interview, repeatedly admonishing the socialists for their response to a cash-for-influence probe that has ensnared several prominent center-left figures.

The unvarnished appraisal went further than other EPP leaders, who have so far avoided using the corruption probe to score political points. And it showed the EPP may be shifting to a more hard-charging, partisan campaign mode ahead of next year’s European election, given Bakolas’ key role in crafting the party’s messaging.

The Socialist & Democrats (S&D) group, Bakolas claimed, has failed to take responsibility for the so-called Qatargate scandal, which saw the arrest of four S&D-linked people, including one of the group’s vice presidents in Parliament.

“Who’s raising their hands and saying: ‘It’s my responsibility what happened?’ Who’s saying: ‘I gotta look into my house?'” Bakolas said, speaking from his office in Brussels.

Thus far, it’s been the EPP, he argued, pointing to a plan from Parliament President (and EPP member) Roberta Metsola, who proposed 14 reforms aimed at increasing accountability and transparency in Parliament.

“Roberta Metsola did this for the entire house. I didn’t hear the same thing from the socialists,” he said.

The S&D, of course, says such admonishments are unfounded.

The group has announced an internal review to be led by Silvina Bacigalupo — the president of the anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International Spain — and former British MEP Richard Corbett. It has also proposed its own list of 15 reforms.

An S&D spokesperson said some of those steps were already being implemented while others required Parliament’s approval.

“We are committed that more ambitious reform is needed. In fact we are the only group walking the talk,” said the spokesperson.

But Bakolas blamed the S&D for allowing the stain of scandal to seep into the entire Parliament.

The public had been left with the impression “that everybody in the European Parliament is a bad apple” — something the S&D could have avoided by owning the scandal, he said.

Thanasis Bakolas accuses the S&D of allowing the stain of the Qatargate scandal to seep into the entire EU Parliament

“The socialists would have gained respect out of this,” he added. “And they would have enhanced the parliamentary system, they would have empowered their fellow colleagues in the Parliament.”

Such open political sparring is rare in Brussels, where the most brutal games are usually played in private. But the Qatargate scandal has added a new charge to preparations for next year’s European election. It has also raised the thorny question for the S&D’s opponents of how to turn the corruption to their political advantage without it blowing up in their hands.

The EPP’s prior attempt to politicize the scandal fell flat when it issued a tweet slamming the center left’s “hypocrisy.” The missive was followed just hours later by an announcement from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office that it was investigating Maria Spyraki, a Greek MEP and member of the EPP — although it turned out to be an unrelated case.

Other senior EPP members have cautioned against singling out their rivals.

“The allegations are not about left or right or north or south,” Metsola said in the days following the revelations in December, urging MEPs “to resist the temptation to exploit this moment for political gain.”

Parliament Vice President Rainer Wieland, a six-term EPP MEP from Germany known for his influence on the body’s light-touch approach to ethics enforcement, also warned that politicians face lost credibility across the board if reactions are based on “which political color” is implicated.

“I do not believe in general that the EPP people are the better human beings,” Wieland said in an interview this week. “It can happen everywhere.”

The S&D spokesperson said politicizing the scandal would further damage citizens’ trust in Parliament.

“Too much is at stake that justifies internal fighting now,” the spokesperson said. “Instead of criticizing in general terms, the EPP should rather be concrete and say what kind of action we did not take. And rather focus on what action they should take. Are they in for full transparency?”

Bakolas said his party preferred to campaign for the elections on a positive message. But he said center-left political parties across the EU “should be worried. Because we’re going through a period where people want good leadership, they want strong leaders that can govern well and deliver for their people.”

Bakolas is aware of the risk that the rot may turn out to go beyond the S&D.

“I run a tight ship in here,” he said of the EPP’s party headquarters. “But also, you know what? I’m only as good as my people. And with [EPP President] Manfred Weber in the European Parliament, he’s only as good as the MEPs are.”

“But you’ve got to show leadership,” Bakolas said, adding that, under Weber, “I can tell you this … what happened at the socialists would not have happened.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
×