European Parliament lifts immunity of Greek MEP Afroditi Latinopoulou

The European Parliament has voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of Greek MEP and Voice of Reason president Afroditi Latinopoulou, allowing criminal proceedings in Greece over allegations concerning forged signatures to move forward.

The vote took place during the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg on Tuesday, September 15.

The case relates to complaints filed in 2024 by former Voice of Reason associate Konstantinos Bogdanos and two other former party executives. They alleged that some signatures included in the party’s founding declaration, which was submitted to Greece’s Supreme Court for participation in elections, were fictitious or forged.

Greek authorities have opened a criminal case involving allegations of forgery, the use of a false or falsified document and repeated electoral fraud.

The request to lift Latinopoulou’s immunity was submitted to the European Parliament by Greek judicial authorities following a request from the Athens Court of First Instance and the transmission of the case file by the Deputy Prosecutor of the Supreme Court.

The European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs had previously examined the case and recommended that her immunity be lifted, clearing the way for the Greek judicial process to continue.

Latinopoulou has denied the allegations. She has also said she wanted her immunity lifted so the case could proceed before the courts and the allegations could be fully investigated.

The Greek MEP has previously described the case as political persecution and legal harassment, accusing political opponents and what she called “centres of power” of targeting her because of the growing presence of Voice of Reason in the European Parliament.

According to reports, members of Patriots for Europe, the European political group to which Latinopoulou belongs, and the Europe of Sovereign Nations group voted against lifting her immunity during the committee stage. The recommendation was nevertheless approved with the support of other political groups.

With Tuesday’s plenary vote, the parliamentary immunity issue has been removed and Greek judicial authorities can proceed with the next stages of the case.

Importantly, the lifting of parliamentary immunity does not amount to a finding of guilt or a ruling on the allegations. It simply removes the legal protection that had prevented the Greek authorities from continuing the proceedings against the MEP.

Latinopoulou remains entitled to the presumption of innocence while the Greek judicial process continues.

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