Far-Right Belgian MEP Under Investigation by EU Anti-Fraud Office

Belgian MEP Tom Vandendriessche, the lead candidate representing the far-right Vlaams Belang party in the upcoming European Parliament elections, is currently under scrutiny by the European Union’s anti-fraud office, OLAF.

A letter dating back two months, disclosed by Belgian media outlets Humo and Apache, revealed the existence of an investigation along with a corresponding case number. Reports suggest that the probe was initiated last year in response to a formal complaint.

In confirmation, Vandendriessche acknowledged receiving a letter from OLAF approximately a year ago, indicating a review concerning a report submitted by a former employee who, as per Vandendriessche’s account, was terminated.

The MEP refuted receiving any subsequent correspondence from OLAF and dismissed the investigation as a pre-election «smear campaign,» as far-right parties are anticipating significant gains across Europe in the June elections.

OLAF, the anti-fraud agency, declined to provide specific details regarding any ongoing or closed investigations, adhering to its policy of confidentiality.

Vandendriessche is poised to secure a return to the European Parliament as the frontrunner on Vlaams Belang’s candidate list following the upcoming election, as his party is currently leading with around 27 percent in the polls according to POLITICO’s Poll of Polls.

The emergence of Vandendriessche’s name in connection with a fraud-related investigation casts an unwelcome spotlight on him shortly before the elections, notwithstanding OLAF’s limited authority only to conduct administrative inquiries without enforcement power upon case closure.

Recently, Vandendriessche won a legal battle against Meta, garnering a judgment that ordered the social media giant to compensate him over €27,000 for damages. The court ruling centered on a 2021 incident involving a «shadowban» that restricted the visibility of the MEP’s Facebook page.