It is surprising that the combination with Qatar was set up by Italian center-left, socialists. The leader of the circle was the former MEP Pancheri. In 2019, he was not re-elected because he left the center-left Democratic Party to join a smaller left-wing party which, however, failed to elect an MEP.
He was considered an influential MEP in the Foreign Affairs Committee and specialized in human and democratic rights missions around the world. Kaili’s partner was a member of the distinguished MEP’s staff and was the bridge for the vice-president of the European Parliament to join the circuit.
Pancheri’s inability to be re-elected raised Kaili’s value to the circuit since none of its members had the influence and visibility of the vice-president in the European Parliament. The circuit operated mainly behind the scenes, but it also needed an impressive presence in the foreground to pass the messages that were of interest to Qatar. This is how it went from Pancheri’s promotion to Kaili’s promotion, which, however, was overexposed, with the result that the investigations of the Belgian authorities were intensified and a cycle of impressive revelations opened.
According to reliable information, the revelations will continue. Authorities are investigating the role of two Belgian MEPs who also belong to the Socialist group, as well as four associates of Italian Socialist MEPs.
The political discredit of Italy’s center-left and socialists is of enormous importance at a time when Italy is dominated by hard-right and far-right Eurosceptic forces.
The Italian center-left has a pro-European consistency, so its political and moral decline turns into an advantage for Eurosceptics.
The Southern issue of the EU
The circuit that organized the service of Qatar’s interests in return for financial consideration is basically Italian with the addition of Kaili and possibly Belgian MEPs.
The image of the Greek vice-president of the European Parliament and an Italian “mafia” serving the interests of Qatar hits the European South and reinforces the stereotypes according to which the “Southern” of the Eurozone are administratively lax to the point of suspicion.
The deterioration of the European image of the South takes on enormous importance at a time when the Italian economy is completing twenty years of substantial stagnation and the next crisis of the Greek economy has begun.
If – as everything shows – Italy and Greece need the understanding and solidarity of the Europeans in order to face their economic problems, they will pay dearly for Pantzeri’s and Kaili’s methods.
The North of the Eurozone is also besieged by problems and there is no willingness to assume additional financial obligations for the benefit of the struggling South. Qatargate and the political downfall of Kaili offer a good excuse for the Eurozone “frugalists” to keep a safe distance from the economic problems and potential financial turmoil of the South.
The EU’s Credibility Problem
The E.U. it is struggling to manage the crisis caused by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, it is being tested by inflation and is in danger of entering a phase of stagflation, it is suffering in the energy sector, it is losing competition with the USA and China.
The list of problems and pending issues is huge and the impression has been created that the E.U. he is left behind in a world that is competitive, harsh and dangerous.
Due to inefficiency, the gap between European institutions and European citizens is growing. Households and businesses are being pressured by the multidimensional crisis, resulting in growing popular dissatisfaction with those who make the decisions. Especially in countries like Greece and Italy, which have a history of economic and political crises and many structural and competitiveness problems of their respective economies, the situation is going from bad to worse.
With the scandal that broke out, the European Parliament and European institutions in general are moving from a crisis of efficiency to a much more dangerous crisis of credibility.
In Brussels and Strasbourg the atmosphere was very heavy after the revelations about Qatargate and Kaili. It is characteristic that the Plenary Session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg removed Kaili from the position of vice-president with 628 votes in favor, 2 abstentions and one against. The speed with which the European Parliament moved and the scope of the political condemnation of Kaili highlights the concern about the consequences of the scandal.
