Searches in Brussels and Strasbourg

EU prosecutors carried out a search of the Patriots parliamentary group's offices on Wednesday as part of a graft probe into Identity and Democracy, the far-right bloc that dissolved in 2024. The Patriots for Europe group said the European Public Prosecutor's Office had been searching its administrative offices in Brussels and Strasbourg since that morning. In a statement, the group tied the searches to a complaint lodged against ID and stressed it has no legal continuity with its predecessor and is not involved in the investigation.

What the EPPO Confirmed

The EPPO confirmed the searches form part of an ongoing investigation into the use of European funds by a former political group, but declined further details to avoid endangering the proceedings.

From Identity and Democracy to the Patriots

The ID group brought together far-right parties including France's National Rally, Italy's League and the Alternative for Germany (AfD). It was formally disbanded after the 2024 elections and succeeded by the Patriots for Europe group, now the third-largest bloc in the European Parliament.

Jean-Paul Garraud, head of the National Rally's delegation, said the searches targeted the offices of former ID staff members. He wrote on X, referring to violent protests sweeping France:

The Investigation So Far

The Patriots Europe graft probe began when the EU prosecutor announced formal investigations in July of the previous year, after media cited a parliamentary report alleging improper spending by ID.

• •That report said ID was suspected of improperly spending €4.3 million between 2019 and 2024.
• •According to the report, most of the money went to an adviser of Marine Le Pen and to his wife.
• •In June, a series of raids were conducted in France and other countries as part of the probe.

The EPPO has confirmed only that the investigation is ongoing; the Patriots group says it is not involved, and the searches continued through Wednesday.