The European Parliament has seen a rise in the number of homeless MEPs who do not belong to any political grouping. By the close of the current European Parliament, there were 50 such MEPs, up from 28 just after UK MEPs left due to Brexit. These independents could constitute 68 of the 720 seats in the upcoming June elections. While some MEPs are detached from wider EU constellations due to national parties, others find themselves in this position due to personal or prosaic reasons. From romance to football, alleged corruption to insulting the boss, various scandals have led to lawmakers being part of the Parliament’s political outgroup.
One of the major scandals to hit the European Parliament is ‘Qatargate’, where foreign actors were alleged to be trying to interfere in the democratic processes through bribes. Three former Socialist MEPs, including Eva Kaili, Andrea Cozzolino, and Marc Tarabella are facing preliminary charges in connection with this scandal. Kaili was expelled from the Socialists and Democrats group due to the allegations. In a separate case, Latvian MEP Tatjana Ždanoka faced accusations of spying for the Kremlin, leading to her expulsion from the Greens/EFA group. These scandals have significantly affected the credibility and trust of the EU institution.
Insults and derogatory comments about LGBT people and political figures have also led to MEPs being expelled from their respective political groups. Lithuanian MEP Victor Uspaskich was expelled from the Renew Europe grouping for referring to LGBT people as “perverts”. Hungarian MEP Tamás Deutsch was suspended from the European People’s Party for comparing the party’s German leader to the Gestapo. These incidents demonstrate that slinging insults can have serious consequences in the workplace, especially when directed at one’s boss.
Cases of alleged bullying and criminal activity have also contributed to MEPs becoming homeless in the European Parliament. Far-right MEP Hervé Juvin was convicted of domestic violence, leading to his dismissal from Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National party. Left-wing Greek MEP Alexis Georgoulis is facing charges of rape and assault, resulting in his expulsion from the Syriza party. A French MEP from The Left, Anne-Sophie Pelletier, was expelled from her party after multiple reports of harassing behavior towards parliamentary assistants. These cases highlight the seriousness of inappropriate behavior by MEPs and the consequences it can have on their political careers.
Some MEPs have found themselves without a political group due to disagreements with the political line of their parties. German far-right leader Jörg Meuthen resigned from Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) over concerns about the party’s shift towards the right. Dutch MEP Marcel de Graaff left the far-right Identity and Democracy group, citing its anti-Russian stance. Slovak MEPs Monika Benova, Robert Hajsel, and Katarina Roth Nevedalova were suspended from the European socialists due to their party entering into a coalition with the far-right Slovak National Party. Catalan separatists led by Carles Puigdemont faced rejection from major groups after the 2017 Catalonia independence referendum.
Some MEPs have chosen to leave their political groups for personal reasons or due to unique circumstances. Far-right MEP Francesca Donato left Matteo Salvini’s Lega party to join Democrazia Cristiana over disagreements with Covid-19 measures. Former Green MEP Martin Buschmann resigned from his position due to revelations about his past association with the far-right NPD party. Greek MEP Theodoros Zagorakis left his party due to his love for football and disagreement with a decision regarding PAOK FC. These examples show that MEPs may find themselves without a political group for a variety of reasons, ranging from personal beliefs to external circumstances.
