Misuse of Taxpayer Funds: Far-Right Group Ordered to Repay Hundreds of Thousands

Illegal donations, missing tenders, falsified contracts: Repeated violations of European Parliament rules by the far-right “Patriots for Europe” group have been confirmed in a financial audit. The group must now repay over €270,000 in misused funds from its 2024 spending.

The Patriots were the only political group whose 2024 financial report had not yet been submitted to Parliament, a delay linked to the fact that the European Parliament’s administration had already flagged irregularities in early 2025. After being warned, the group was given a chance to respond and correct its accounts. Following the alert, the Patriots set aside the equivalent amount from their 2025 budget to cover the repayment. Political groups in the European Parliament are funded by taxpayer money.

The “Patriots for Europe” emerged from the now-dissolved ID (Identity and Democracy) group, which split after the AfD’s departure. The ID group itself is embroiled in a financial scandal, with allegations that over €4.3 million in EU funds were misused and funneled to party-affiliated companies and associations. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is investigating. Notably, Philip Claeys, the current Secretary-General of the Patriots, held the same role in the ID group.

Daniel Freund, Green MEP and Coordinator in the Budgetary Control Committee:

“The far-right ‘Patriots’ have systematically broken Parliament’s rules and misused taxpayer money. This is not a mistake – it’s a long-standing practice. A simple repayment is not enough. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office must investigate where the money went. Effective sanctions against those responsible are long overdue. Anything less would be negligent. Philip Claeys, as Secretary-General of the Patriots, has proven he cannot be trusted with public funds. This culture of fraud began under his leadership in the ID group. It must end now.”