The European Parliament on Tuesday ousted Vice-President Eva Kaili after she was arrested over the weekend in an investigation into alleged bribery by Qatar.
“The European Parliament decided on Tuesday to terminate the term of office of Vice-President Eva Kaili,” the parliament, the only-directly elected institution of the EU, said in a statement.
Eva Kaili, from Greece, has served as a member of the European Parliament since 2014. The decision to remove her title and position in Brussels comes after Belgian authorities arrested her on Sunday.
The Belgian prosecutor’s office said in a statement Monday that it has been working for more than four months in a probe looking at corruption, money laundering, and criminal organization.
“Several hundred thousand euros were seized in three different places: 600,000 euros ($632 000) at the home of a suspect, several hundred thousand euros in a suitcase in a Brussels hotel room, and about 150,000 euros ($158,000) in a flat belonging to a Member of the European Parliament,” the prosecutors said.
The European Parliament voted with 625 votes in favor, one against, and two abstentions, to end her term early. A two-thirds majority was a prerequisite for her removal from the position of vice president.
