Police search European People's Party headquarters in Brussels

Police search European People's Party headquarters in Brussels

Search arises from corruption investigation into German politician from conservative party CDU, reports local media

By Timo Kirez

GENEVA (AA) - Belgian and German police have searched the offices of the European People's Party (EPP) in Brussels in connection with corruption allegations against a German politician, according to local media.

The politician is Mario Voigt, head of the CDU in the German state of Thuringia, German public broadcaster MDR reported late Tuesday night.

In 2019 Voigt managed the unsuccessful digital election campaign for the EU Commission presidency of the CSU’s Manfred Weber, who was then the EPP’s top candidate for the post,

The search in Brussels, which according to MDR took place on Tuesday morning, concerns suspicions of "bribery in business dealings," which prosecutors in Erfurt, Thuringia’s capital, are investigating.

According to MDR, the investigative team was looking for information about the nature of Voigt's activities at the EPP party headquarters during the 2019 election campaign, but the main issue appeared to be a contract awarded to an internet agency based in Germany.

The prosecution suspects that Voigt received money transferred from that company after the contract was awarded, a consulting fee in the six-figure range.

"We are looking for everything that can serve to legally classify the activity of the accused," MDR quoted a spokesman for the prosecutor's office saying.

The EPP said it was about "an ongoing investigation in Thuringia" and that the party was cooperating fully with police. The party added that the financing of the European election campaign had not given EU auditors any cause for complaint.

The European People's Party is made up of Christian Democratic and conservative member parties in Europe, including the German CDU and CSU parties.

Weber of the CSU is the EPP's group leader in the European Parliament and now also party chairman.

The Thuringian state parliament had already lifted Voigt's immunity last September. In October, Voigt's home and business premises were searched. The CDU politician denies the accusations against him.

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