The European Parliament has adjusted its funding schedule this year, dispersing €31 million to political groups based on the number of MEPs in each group after the June elections. The majority of these funds are distributed proportionately to the number of MEPs in the group, with larger groups receiving more funding and smaller groups receiving less. This funding is used by political groups to finance public information campaigns on their activities in the European Parliament, such as votes or legislative initiatives. The funds are also used to cover administrative and operational expenses for the groups. Each MEP is worth an average of around €90,000 in funding, according to Wouter Wolfs, a lecturer in European politics at the University of Leuven in Belgium.
The funding in the European Parliament’s budget for political groups is allocated based on a calculation where 97.5% is distributed proportionately to the number of MEPs and 2.5% is distributed equally among the groups. The funds cannot be used to support national political parties or finance election campaigns. In the past, the Parliament has initiated proceedings to recover funds when they were misused, such as when the Danish People’s Party used group funding to support campaigns on Facebook during national elections. The National Front in France, now known as the National Rally, has also been accused of misusing group funding for national parties and candidates.
In addition to the €31 million allocated to political groups, the European Parliament provides other funding to MEPs through different envelopes to hire assistants and to finance European political parties, distinct from political groups. The Parliament also pays political advisers to support the work of the groups. The funds allocated to political groups support their activities in the European decision-making process, including legislation, scrutiny, and control of the European Commission. It is crucial for political groups to be well-resourced in order to fulfill their responsibilities in the European Parliament.
The European People’s Party (EPP) received more than €8 million, the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) nearly €6 million, and the Patriots for Europe €3.7 million as part of the second half of 2024 funding allocation. The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), Renew, the Greens/European Free Alliance, and the Left received almost €3.5 million, €3.4 million, just over €2.3 million, and €2 million respectively. The Europe of Sovereign Nations group (ENS) with 25 MEPs received €1.17 million. These funds are used by the political groups to finance their political and information activities within the European Union and cover administrative and operational expenses.
The funding allocated to political groups supports their mandate’s political priorities, such as the green transition, a more social Europe, and the fight for rights and democracy. The funds are used for events, administrative support, and activities linked to the work of MEPs fulfilling their commitments to the electorate. The European Parliament’s budget is the primary source of funding for political groups and non-attached MEPs. The funds can only be used for activities within the European Parliament and cannot be used to support national parties or finance election campaigns. Misuse of these funds has led to proceedings initiated by the Parliament to recover them from parties that have misused the funding for national purposes.
