Synopsis

On December 9, 2022, in Brussels, Belgian federal police arrested, among others, former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, suspected of heading a corruption network involving Qatar and Morocco, and his wife Eva Kaili, MEP and President of the Parliament. According to the investigation, police seized nearly 670,000 euros in cash from his home, and over 878,000 euros from the Kaili-Giorgi couple's home. In the wake of this "Qatargate", some of the 705 MEPs are calling for far-reaching reforms of their institution. What is the situation, just over a year after the scandal broke?