EU Parliament Lifts Spanish Lawmaker's Immunity Over Campaign Finance Allegations

The European Parliament on Tuesday paved the way for Spanish authorities to investigate far-right Spanish lawmaker Luis “Alvise” Pérez for alleged campaign finance violations by voting in favor of a motion to strip him of his immunity.

Spanish prosecutors allege the lawmaker received an illegal €100,000 donation from cryptocurrency influencer Álvaro Romillo ahead of the 2024 European Parliament elections. Pérez has systematically maintained the funds were for personal use, but Romillo testified that the cash was used to finance Pérez’s political party, Se Acabó La Fiesta.

After Madrid requested Pérez’s immunity be lifted last September, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola referred the petition to the Committee on Legal Affairs. The measure was overwhelmingly approved by lawmakers attending the plenary session in Strasbourg.

Tuesday’s vote took place just three weeks after the Parliament lifted Pérez’s immunity in harassment proceedings involving Spain’s Prosecutor for Hate Crimes Susana Gisbert. The lawmaker is alleged to have shared her identity in his Telegram channel, leading hundreds of his followers to insult her. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Last week, the Spanish Supreme Court also asked the Parliament to lift Pérez’s immunity on a separate harassment charge involving two of his party’s former candidates for his Se Acabó La Fiesta party. In testimony before the court earlier this year, the lawmaker admitted to sharing the candidates’ personal information on his Telegram channel, but denied doing so in a threatening manner.

Spain’s top court is currently handling another two cases involving the lawmaker.

This article has been updated.