The News
European authorities raided 21 sites, arrested several people, and sealed off two offices of the European Parliament over a corruption probe involving the Chinese tech giant Huawei.
Law enforcement officials have 15 current and former European parliamentarians on their radar, Belgian newspaper Le Soir, which first reported the probe together with outlets Follow The Money and Knack.
The investigation was immediately likened to a 2022 scandal dubbed Qatargate, in which Doha was accused of seeking to unlawfully influence lawmakers, sparking questions over foreign states’ ability to determine decisions by the European Union’s top legislature.
“These new allegations are as sweeping and serious as Qatargate and make a mockery of democracy at the European Parliament,” Transparency International’s Brussels director said.