BRUSSELS — Belgian and German police on Tuesday conducted searches at the European Parliament offices of a far-right MEP and his aide as part of an investigation into suspected Chinese espionage.
German authorities said the Federal Prosecutor’s office had requested to search the offices of MEP Maximilian Krah, top candidate for next month’s EU election from the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD), and his aide Jian G., who is suspected of “of secret service agent activity.”
The raid was delayed, according to one of Krah’s employees — granted anonymity to speak freely — because police had a warrant to search Jian G’s desk and when they arrived, another staffer was sitting there, despite Jian G’s name being on the nameplate. It took more than two hours to get a new search warrant for Jian G’s actual desk.
German police arrested the aide in April, rocking the AfD while it polls in second place nationally.
A spokesperson from the Belgian prosecutor’s office confirmed it had received a legal assistance request from its German counterpart and is cooperating with them on the case.
Pauline von Pezold contributed to this article.
This developing story is being updated.
GERMANY NATIONAL PARLIAMENT ELECTION POLL OF POLLS
circle.fill-DE-parliament-Union,
rect.fill-DE-parliament-Union,
svg.colorize path.fill-DE-parliament-Union,
text.fill-DE-parliament-Union {
fill: #000000;
}
circle.stroke-DE-parliament-Union,
rect.stroke-DE-parliament-Union,
svg.colorize path.stroke-DE-parliament-Union,
text.stroke-DE-parliament-Union {
stroke: #000000;
}
circle.fill-DE-parliament-AfD,
rect.fill-DE-parliament-AfD,
svg.colorize path.fill-DE-parliament-AfD,
text.fill-DE-parliament-AfD {
fill: #2175d9;
}
circle.stroke-DE-parliament-AfD,
rect.stroke-DE-parliament-AfD,
svg.colorize path.stroke-DE-parliament-AfD,
text.stroke-DE-parliament-AfD {
stroke: #2175d9;
}
circle.fill-DE-parliament-SPD,
rect.fill-DE-parliament-SPD,
svg.colorize path.fill-DE-parliament-SPD,
text.fill-DE-parliament-SPD {
fill: #F0001C;
}
circle.stroke-DE-parliament-SPD,
rect.stroke-DE-parliament-SPD,
svg.colorize path.stroke-DE-parliament-SPD,
text.stroke-DE-parliament-SPD {
stroke: #F0001C;
}
circle.fill-DE-parliament-GRUENE,
rect.fill-DE-parliament-GRUENE,
svg.colorize path.fill-DE-parliament-GRUENE,
text.fill-DE-parliament-GRUENE {
fill: #58AB27;
}
circle.stroke-DE-parliament-GRUENE,
rect.stroke-DE-parliament-GRUENE,
svg.colorize path.stroke-DE-parliament-GRUENE,
text.stroke-DE-parliament-GRUENE {
stroke: #58AB27;
}
circle.fill-DE-parliament-FDP,
rect.fill-DE-parliament-FDP,
svg.colorize path.fill-DE-parliament-FDP,
text.fill-DE-parliament-FDP {
fill: #facd50;
}
circle.stroke-DE-parliament-FDP,
rect.stroke-DE-parliament-FDP,
svg.colorize path.stroke-DE-parliament-FDP,
text.stroke-DE-parliament-FDP {
stroke: #facd50;
}
circle.fill-DE-parliament-LINKE,
rect.fill-DE-parliament-LINKE,
svg.colorize path.fill-DE-parliament-LINKE,
text.fill-DE-parliament-LINKE {
fill: #8C3473;
}
circle.stroke-DE-parliament-LINKE,
rect.stroke-DE-parliament-LINKE,
svg.colorize path.stroke-DE-parliament-LINKE,
text.stroke-DE-parliament-LINKE {
stroke: #8C3473;
}
circle.fill-DE-parliament-PIRATEN,
rect.fill-DE-parliament-PIRATEN,
svg.colorize path.fill-DE-parliament-PIRATEN,
text.fill-DE-parliament-PIRATEN {
fill: #ff981c;
}
circle.stroke-DE-parliament-PIRATEN,
rect.stroke-DE-parliament-PIRATEN,
svg.colorize path.stroke-DE-parliament-PIRATEN,
text.stroke-DE-parliament-PIRATEN {
stroke: #ff981c;
}
For more polling data from across Europe visit POLITICO Poll of Polls.