Kaili continues for the moment, however, maintaining her status as an MEP since it can only be withdrawn by Greece.
The plenary of European Parliament approved this Tuesday the dismissal as vice president of the Chamber of the Greek socialist Eva Kaili, arrested in Belgium for her alleged involvement in a corruption scheme involving the payment of bribes by Qatar to gain influence in political and economic decision-making in the European institution.
The measure was supported by a vast majority of MEPs at the plenary session in Strasbourg (France), where the decision to strip Kaili of the post of vice-president was approved with 625 votes in favor of the 628 expressed, with only one vote against. and two abstentions.
Once dismissed, it is also up to the plenary to decide who will take over in a second vote whose date is yet to be determined, although it is assumed that he will also be a MEP from the Social Democratic family to respect the balance negotiated when the 14 vice-presidencies were appointed. .
In accordance with the rules of the European Parliament, the dismissal of any of its fourteen vice-presidents must be carried out following a two-phase process that includes article 21 of the institution’s operating regulations.
The first step was completed early this Tuesday by the group leaders of all the groups with representation in the Eurochamber by agreeing “unanimously” in an extraordinary meeting of the Conference of Presidents to request the Chamber to remove the socialist vice president. Greek.
The dismissal later required the majority support of two thirds of the votes expressed in the plenary session. The president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, already decided over the weekend to immediately suspend all the powers, duties and functions of representation as president, but she could not proceed with her dismissal because this is a power that belongs exclusively to the plenary of the Eurochamber.
Kaili, the most visible head among those accused in this case, had already been expelled from the Social Democratic group this Monday and President Metsola had withdrawn from her last weekend the responsibilities associated with her position as vice president, including relations with the Middle East.
A Belgian judge decided on Sunday to charge her along with 3 other people -including her partner, the Italian Franceso Giorgi- for the crime of participation in a criminal organization, money laundering and corruption.
The Belgian magistrate carried out a search of the European Parliament building in Brussels on Monday as the European Parliament began its last plenary session of the year at its headquarters in Strasbourg.
The Social Democratic group must now begin an internal process to select Kaili’s future replacement, although party sources rule out that there is an intention to start the search immediately and do not expect a decision to be made until early 2023.
Kaili continues for the moment to maintain her status as an MEP since it can only be withdrawn by Greece.