Investigation launched into Verhofstadt in Belgium, OLAF also investigating
The Belgian federal police and OLAF are conducting an investigation concerning former Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt. The former MEP is fully cooperating with the authorities.
Police and OLAF investigate Verhofstadt's European Parliament internship matter
According to Index's report, the Belgian federal police have launched an investigation into former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and former European Parliament member at the request of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) – this was reported on Sunday by the Belgian news agency.
The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is also participating in the investigation. The investigation, which began earlier this year, concerns among other things how interns working in the European Parliament were professionally supervised during the period when Verhofstadt held the position of president of the ALDE liberal group. The Belgian politician led the parliamentary group between 2009 and 2019, and left the European Parliament in 2024.
According to MTI, Verhofstadt's lawyers stated that OLAF has so far only requested information from their client concerning the employment of several European Parliament interns. They emphasised that Verhofstadt, as group president, did not personally participate in the professional oversight of interns.
According to the lawyers, the former Prime Minister has not yet been questioned, and no concrete charges have been made against him. Verhofstadt – according to their statement – is fully cooperating with the authorities.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office declined to comment on the matter.
Source: Index