A corruption scandal leaves the EU reeling

most recognisable member of the European Parliament?” sounds like the set-up of a joke, along the lines of “Who is the best-dressed Boris Johnson impersonator?” Still, it has a punchline now: Eva Kaili, who started the week—but did not end it—as a vice-president of the parliament (fret not, there are still 13 left). Ms Kaili, a Greek , is now the poster girl for what is arguably the worst case of sleaze in the six-decade history of the institutions. On December 9th Belgian police arrested six people, four of whom, including Ms Kaili, were later charged with corruption and money laundering. Over €1.5m ($1.6m) in cash payments allegedly made by Qatar have been recovered by Belgian police, who have carried out 20 raids mostly connected to sitting or former s and their staff. Both Ms Kaili, a former newsreader, and her Italian partner, an aide in the parliament, languish in a Brussels jail. They deny wrongdoing, as does Qatar, which calls the claims “unfounded”. Her father, arrested after being caught lugging a cash-filled suitcase from a hotel near the parliament, was released as a mere suspected accomplice.With the investigation continuing, a mood of nervousness, confusion and indignation has descended on Brussels (and Strasbourg, to which the parliament ridiculously decamps once a month). There are signs pointing to the possible cause of any graft. Qatar wants its citizens to be able to take holidays in Europe without a visa, a perk offered to many rich countries. This looked to be forthcoming a week ago but is now on ice. It also wanted to temper criticism of its treatment of migrant workers during the World Cup. Ms Kaili had declared Qatar to be “a front-runner in labour rights”, an unpopular opinion in Europe. Her centre-left political group seems to have worked to soften a motion criticising Qatar. Another person arrested, Pier Antonio Panzeri, an until 2019, is the head of an called, of all things, Fight Impunity. (He could not be reached for comment.)