European Parliament Lifts Immunity for Alessandra Moretti in Qatargate Investigation
The European Parliament has voted to lift the immunity of Italian MEP Alessandra Moretti, a member of the Democratic Party (PD), as part of the ongoing Qatargate investigation. The vote, which took place on December 4, 2025, saw 497 MEPs vote in favor of revoking Moretti’s immunity, while 139 voted against and 15 abstained. In contrast, the immunity of fellow PD MEP Elisabetta Gualmini was confirmed with 382 votes in favor, 254 against, and 19 abstentions.
Moretti Responds to the Vote
Moretti expressed disappointment and sadness over the outcome, stating that the vote was “entirely political” and that she was the victim of a showdown. She maintained that the elements on which the request was based had already been denied by her on a documentary basis and that the vote was influenced by political-electoral strategies and conveniences. Moretti hopes to be heard by the prosecutor’s office as soon as possible to defend herself against the accusations and will continue to do her job with her head held high.
Reaction from the Democratic Party
Nicola Zingaretti, the head of the PD delegation to the European Parliament, expressed confidence that Moretti will demonstrate her correctness and transparency with respect to the disputed facts. Zingaretti believes that the conditions were already in place to better protect the prerogatives of parliamentarians, but now the opportunity will arise to verify Moretti’s extraneousness in the next phase.
The Qatargate Investigation
The Qatargate investigation, which broke out in December 2022, involves allegations of corruption and money laundering within the EU Parliament. The report requesting the lifting of immunity for Moretti and Gualmini was prepared by Marcin Sypniewski of the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN). According to the report, different types of evidence were collected concerning specific advantages that Alessandra Moretti sought and/or obtained. The investigation remains ongoing, with preliminary investigations still in limbo and no deadline for indictments or dismissals.
Background on Qatargate
The Qatargate scandal led to the arrest of several high-profile individuals, including former Vice-President of the European Parliament Eva Kaili, in December 2022. The arrests were accompanied by images of suitcases full of cash, with over 1.5 million euros seized. Those arrested, including Panzeri, Giorgi, Cozzolino, and Tarabella, spent months in prison and under house arrest before being released, awaiting the outcome of the investigation.
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