The European Parliament has stripped a Greek MEP of her role as one of the body’s vice presidents over allegations that Qatar had bribed her to influence decision-making.
Eva Kaili, 44, one of the parliament’s 14 vice presidents, was among four people arrested and charged by investigators in Belgium over the bribery and corruption scandal.
It comes after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that the allegations claiming they had received money and gifts from Qatar were of the “utmost concern”.
Belgian police searched 19 homes and parliamentary offices in raids from Friday to Monday as part of their investigation and seized computers, mobile phones and cash, some of which was found in a suitcase in a hotel room.
Prosecutors said they had suspected for months that a Gulf state was trying to influence decision-making in Brussels.
They did not name the suspects, but Ms Kaili’s name was leaked to the media.
Ms Kaili, who denies the charges, was suspended from her duties in light of the investigation at the weekend, while the Greek socialist PASOK party announced it was expelling her from its ranks.
A source with knowledge of the case told Reuters news agency the state was Qatar.
Qatar has denied any wrongdoing.
A total of 625 MEPs voted in favour of stripping Ms Kaili of her title, with only one against and two abstaining.
“The integrity of @Europarl_EN comes first and foremost,” European Parliament President Roberta Metsola tweeted.
Ms Kaili’s lawyer, Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, said his client was “innocent”.
“She has nothing to do with financing from Qatar, nothing, explicitly and unequivocally,” he told Greek broadcaster Open TV.
In a speech in the European Parliament on 21 November as the World Cup was starting, Ms Kaili said: “Qatar is a frontrunner in labour rights.
“They committed to a vision by choice and they opened to the world. Still, some here are calling to discriminate them. They bully them and they accuse everyone that talks to them or engages (with them) of corruption.”