Eva Kaili Removed from Office after Corruption Allegations | DW News

Dec 13, 2022 | An overwhelming majority of European Parliament members voted to strip Eva Kaili of her position as the body's vice president on Tuesday. The motion to end her term early was backed by 625 MEPs, while one voted against and two abstained. A two-thirds majority was required for her to cease being one of the body's 14 vice presidents. The 44-year-old Greek Social Democrat was arrested in Belgium on Friday over allegations she was part of a group accepting bribes from Qatar in exchange for promoting policies friendly to the Gulf state.

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Greek MEP Stripped of EU Vice-President Role amid Qatar Scandal

THE GUARDIAN: Parliament’s senior leaders agree to remove Eva Kaili, a decision that will later be voted on by all 705 MEPs

Eva Kaili is one of four people charged but has not been officially named. Photograph: Eric Vidal/European parliament/AFP/Getty Images
The European parliament has voted to strip a Greek MEP implicated in a bribery and corruption scandal of her role as one of the body’s vice-presidents.

MEPs voted by 625 votes to one against, with two abstentions, to remove Eva Kaili as one of the parliament’s 14 vice-presidents, following a decision in favour of the move by the assembly’s senior leaders.

“The group chairs in the European parliament unanimously voted for the removal of vice-president Kaili” tweeted the German MEP Terry Reintke, co-president of the Green group, ahead of the vote. “We also agreed to a full inquiry into the matter and taking further preventative measures.” » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels and Helena Smith in Athens | Tuesday, December 13, 2022