The European Parliament, the only directly elected institution in the European Union, suddenly found itself at the center of a major corruption investigation. Belgian authorities announced that four individuals have been detained in connection with an alleged bribery and influence-peddling scheme. Among those implicated is a Greek Social Democrat who held one of the 14 vice-presidential posts of the European Parliament. The charges span criminal organization, corruption, and money laundering, signaling a political earthquake with potential consequences for public trust in European institutions as elections approach in the near future. This case is reverberating across the EU, with citizens watching closely to see how the institutions respond and whether reforms will follow. (Reuters)
