Marc Tarabella Explained

Marc Tarabella
Birth Date:1963 3, df=yes
Birth Place:Ougrée, Belgium
Nationality:Belgian
Occupation:politician

Marc Tarabella (born 11 March 1963) is a Belgian politician who has been serving as a Member of the European Parliament for the French Community of Belgium with the Parti Socialiste, part of the Socialist Group. In February 2023 he was charged with corruption and money laundering in connection with the Qatar corruption scandal at the European Parliament.

Early life

Tarabella was born in Ougrée, a suburb of Seraing from a family originally from Versilia, Italy.[1]

Education

Political career

Career in national politics

Member of the European Parliament

In parliament, Tarabella sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. He is a substitute for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and a vice-chair of the Delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In January 2021, Tarabella became a member of the Italian left-wing party Article One.[2]

Amid the Qatar corruption scandal at the European Parliament in late 2022, Belgian police searched Tarabella's home.[3] He subsequently suspended himself from the S&D group, and his Walloon Socialist party revoked his membership. He also stepped down as member and vice chair of the European Parliament’s delegation to Qatar and other Arabian Peninsula countries.[4]

In February 2023 the European Parliament voted to waive immunity for Tarabella. He was subsequently arrested, charged with corruption and money laundering and remanded into custody. He denied any wrongdoing.[5] In April 2023 he was released from prison and the following month released from house arrest.[6]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: "Caro Salvini, è lei il fannullone": lo sfogo di un europarlamentare belga-versiliese . 2022-12-15 . Il Tirreno . en.
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XwrJpo1lFI Marc Tarabella, deputato belga del Pse, aderisce ad Articolo Uno. Benvenuto!
  3. Ali Walker and Sarah Wheaton (11 December 2022), Belgian MEP’s home raided in Qatar graft probe Politico Europe
  4. Eddy Wax (12 January 2023), Qatargate: Marc Tarabella steps down from EU Parliament Gulf delegation Politico Europe.
  5. News: Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella charged in Qatargate probe. 11 February 2023. Politico Europe.
  6. News: European Parliament bribery scandal: Tarabella and Giorgi released from pre-trial detention. 9 May 2023. The Brussels Times.