The President of the European Parliament is invited to a luxury hotel with her husband to protest against planned pension reforms in France

EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola has to ask questions about staying with her partner in a French luxury hotel. As the news portal “Politico” revealed on Friday, the costs for the overnight stay were taken over by a French wine brotherhood last October. Metsola’s spokesman confirmed the information to the German news agency.

Metsola made the trip public last week after parliament was rocked by a corruption scandal. However, she did not state that her partner accompanied her on the trip. According to parliamentary rules, she should have reported the trip at the end of November last year. According to “Politico”, the Christian Democrat from Malta traveled to France for an appointment with a wine brotherhood and was accommodated by them in a five-star hotel. A five course dinner was part of the trip.

It was initially unclear whether Metsola was now being threatened with consequences. In theory, sanctions can be imposed. However, there is no automaticity. The Speaker of Parliament is actually responsible.

Metsola also disclosed 125 gifts last week, which was also illegal. This was announced a few days ago. According to the list, the politician gave most of the gifts for the custody of the parliamentary administration or kept them in her office. The latter included, for example, prints, vases and books. Metsola’s spokesperson emphasized, “The president accepts gifts on behalf of the institution. She does not keep them.”

Besides Metsola, only a few other MPs have disclosed donations in the relevant list since the beginning of 2020, many of them Germans. Among them are the green politician Hannah Neumann, Nicola Beer of the FDP and David McAllister and Daniel Caspary of the CDU. Metsola’s predecessor, David Sassoli, had made no public trips or gifts from the European Parliament during his tenure.

In view of the developments, there was initially no widespread criticism of Metsola in Parliament itself. Green MEP Daniel Freund said: “There are probably more journeys from other MEPs that have been ‘forgotten’ because these rules were not properly enforced in the past.”

Metsola’s publications followed the corruption scandal in the EU Parliament. Justice has charged, among other things, the then Vice-President of Parliament Eva Kaili for participation in a criminal organization, money laundering and corruption. It concerns alleged influence from Qatar and Morocco on political decisions of the European Parliament. (sda/dpa)