Today, the S&D Group held an extraordinary Bureau meeting to put the S&D Declaration adopted last week on Monday, 12 December 2022 on ‘Zero Tolerance for corruption’ into further concrete action to combat corruption and external interference.

This step follows up on last week’s decision to expel Eva Kaili from the S&D Group with immediate effect and remove other MEPs linked to the investigation from their functions.

Appalled by the allegations of corruption in the European Parliament and committed to supporting a thorough investigation and full disclosure, the S&D Bureau discussed the format of the S&D Group’s Internal Inquiry to be set up preceding the European Parliament’s Inquiry Committee.

The Bureau laid down the main lines of this Internal Inquiry and will take a decision on its final mandate and the composition of the body in January 2023. The Bureau also confirmed a procedure and timeline for the election of the S&D candidate for the European Parliament’s vice-president. The Group will vote on the S&D candidate on 11 January 2023.

The Bureau fully supports the suspension of an S&D staff member following serious misconduct related to the ongoing judicial investigation. The Secretariat of the S&D Group immediately informed the competent Belgian authorities and continues to fully cooperate with all investigating authorities.

As highlighted at the joint PES Pre-Summit last Thursday, our political family stands united in the fight against corruption. The S&D Group is committed to act firmly and decisively to root out corruption and outside interference in the S&D Group and the European Parliament as a whole. No stone will be left unturned.