At today’s Conference of Presidents, the far-right coalition, which has refused to allow an ethics body to investigate their dirty deals, has now set up a working group to destroy any opposition to their destructive programme.
On 19 June, the Conference of Presidents, led by a majority of the far right and right wing, voted to establish a scrutiny working group within the CONT Committee to examine the financing of NGOs. This was the same majority that, on 14 May, voted against the idea of a European ethics body that would help rebuild trust following high-profile scandals such as Pfizergate, Qatargate, Moroccogate, and Huawei.
Transparency in this Parliament only goes one way: the far right and right wing refuse to be held to the same rules of transparency and ethics as everyone else, while targeting the funding of civil society organisations that advocate for social and climate policies that benefit everyone. Protecting the powerful while removing opposition is a surefire way to pave the path to autocracy.
Co-Chair of The Left Manon Aubry (La France Insoumise, France) said: “Alongside the far-right, the right-wing has just pushed through in the Conference of Presidents the creation of a working group to monitor the activities and funds distributed to NGOs in the European Parliament. These are the same groups that refuse to establish an independent ethics body to monitor these lobbies and oversee the funds allocated to members of parliament. The goal is clear: to intensify the attack on civil society, deprive it of funding, and prevent it from criticizing governments. States without an independent civil society have a name: authoritarian regimes.”
This witch hunt spares the most powerful people, as well as those at the heart of corruption scandals. Companies, lobbies and third countries can continue to lobby with their millions of euros. The Left denounces any weakening of civil society while the wealthy protect their interests.
