The case has nothing to do with other countries bribing MEPs as in the Qatargate scandal, according to European People’s Party (EPP) sources. The police and the judiciary are investigating the German Mario Voigt, leader of the Christian Democrat CDU in Thuringia. In 2019 he was in charge of the EVP’s Internet campaign, but would award a contract to a company that would pay him for it.
Transparency
According to German media, Voigt contradicts the allegations. The EVP says it is “cooperating in full transparency” with the investigation and “providing all relevant information and documentation”.
82 Christian Democratic and Conservative parties from 43 countries are members of the EPP, including the CDA. In the European Parliament, the EPP group is the largest political family, led by the German Manfred Weber. The CDA is in the EPP group with five MEPs.