A Belgian MEP has been suspended from his own political party as the fallout from the EU's Qatar corruption scandal continues to shake the foundations of European politics.
Marc Tarabella of the Belgian Socialist Party (PS) was suspended on Tuesday morning after the MEP was questioned by the PS's National Vigilance Commission over allegations that he had illicitly received funds from Qatar.
"The Commission believes that it is not in a position to take a decision [with regard to Tarabella's suspension], not having enough evidence," the PS said in a statement. "In the absence of a decision by the Commission, the College of Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the PS has decided to suspend Marc Tarabella from his capacity as a member of the PS for the duration of the judicial procedure."
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Earlier in the day, Marc Tarabella was also suspended from the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) European Parliament group after his name was mentioned in the course of a judicial investigation into suspected corruption involving Qatar and several senior European officials.
"Whether he will be reinstated depends on the investigation," S&D President Iratxe García Pérez said on Tuesday. "We will make a decision with the group when the time comes."
