World News: Bribery European Parliament Style

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Category: World News - Europe

Published on Monday, 12 December 2022 18:34

Written by Olivier Longhi

The corruption scandal shaking the European Parliament, the EU's law makers elected to five-year terms, not only tarnishes the reputation of an institution based on ethical and humanistic principles but also casts shame on a political sphere.

Already often criticized, we know that the institution is incorruptible, as the complexity of its operation, where bodies and control commissions follow one another, seemed to hinder any attempt at corruption. And yet, here is the European Parliament tainted by a bribery affair from which it would have gladly passed and which, moreover, highlights the relations between the Parliament and a country at the heart of the news, namely Qatar.

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Beyond the people involved, including one of the vice-presidents, Eva Kaili, this affair throws trouble on an institution often criticized and, by effect, domino on the Union. European. Accused of many evils by its detractors, the Union is losing through this affair a part of credibility that it has sought to protect since its creation.

It was therefore a dirty blow for political Europe, which had managed to give the impression of a new solidarity in the face of Russian expansionism through the war in Ukraine. But here, no Russia on the horizon, but Qatar, a country also criticized since the beginning of the football World Cup, especially because of the treatment of personnel who participated the construction of stadiums.

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The Damage is Done

For many, this corruption case would be just another case if it did not concern the European Union. The latter, founded from the outset on respect for human rights  and human rights in general, is being sullied by a case involving a country where the rights of the humans in its   broadest sense is most questionable and contested to say the least.

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This is how the credibility of the institution, which already suffered from a more or less degraded image, is being altered because it  is now backed by the controversy over working conditions in the emirate. Admittedly, this corruption case concerns only a small number of people quickly ostracized, but as the  popular saying goes, "the damage is done."

And the comments founded or unfounded, on the influence of the Qatari power  will certainly redouble in the weeks and months to come. Another evidence highlighted   by this affair, beyond the  tainted credibility, is the greed of certain elected officials, who are  supposed to defend humanist ideals   and egalitarians put forward by the European Union.

But here again, let us repeat, it is only a tiny  minority of individuals   unless the  investigations carried out by the Belgian police  were to bring  to light other cases.   collusion. And by this affair to see again the image and  probity of  elected representatives and  more broadly of the  political sphere revolving around the Parliament   and the   European Union to be too altered.

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Seduced, even dazzled to the point of  losing the sense of their original mission by the  economic success of Qatar, some elected officials have succumbed to the sirens of money in exchange for decisions favorable to the  Qatari emirate. Thus, in a  logic of soft power that some would describe as a little crude in its execution (because the purpose of an influence is to remain invisible), the emirate has infiltrated via   selected complicities   within an institution that is  once again weakened.

Bio: Olivier Longhi has extensive experience in European history. A seasoned journalist with fifteen years of experience, he is currently professor of history and geography in the Toulouse region of France. He has held a variety of publishing positions, including Head of Agency and Chief of Publishing. A journalist, recognized blogger, editor, and editorial project manager, he has trained and managed editorial teams, worked as a journalist for various local radio stations, a press and publishing consultant, and a communications consultant.