Misuse of Taxpayer Money: Conservatives Shield the Far Right from Consequences

The so-called “Patriots” group knowingly misused taxpayer funds, violating the rules of the European Parliament. More than €270,000 was improperly spent in the second half of 2024 alone. Yet, for the time being, the far-right group has escaped meaningful consequences – thanks to a right-wing conservative majority in the European Parliament.

Representatives of Germany’s CDU/CSU voted in the responsible committee alongside members of right-wing groups and the AfD against imposing meaningful sanctions. The only penalty the Patriots will face is a reduction in their budget for the following year, which Parliament’s administration has accepted as a form of “repayment.”

The Greens and other progressive groups had called for stronger measures, including an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), personnel consequences for those responsible, and full repayment of the misused funds. Conservatives and the far right, however, blocked the proposal.

Daniel Freund, Greens coordinator in the Committee on Budgetary Control:

“The so-called ‘Patriots’ group misuses taxpayer money, violates Parliament’s rules – and gets away with it. This is not an isolated incident but a pattern of systematic fraud. Their predecessor in the European Parliament – the former ID Group – also embezzled and misappropriated millions of euros. Instead of putting an end to the theft of taxpayers’ money, conservatives and far-right groups chose to protect those responsible. CDU and CSU – together with the parties of Marine Le Pen, Viktor Orbán, and the AfD – have let European taxpayers down today.”