Conflict in Brussels Persists as Vänsterpartiet Rejects Internal Investigation

Two days after a physical altercation involving Kristdemokraterna's EU parliamentarian Alice Teodorescu Måwe and a staff member from Vänsterpartiet in Brussels, conflicting narratives continue to emerge regarding the incident.

Vänsterpartiet maintains that Alice Teodorescu Måwe physically assaulted their staff member, resulting in visible marks on the individual's arm. Conversely, Kristdemokraterna contends that the staff member initiated an unprovoked attack on their representative. The situation has escalated to a legal confrontation, with Vänsterpartiet filing a police report against Kristdemokraterna, which in turn is preparing to file a police complaint against V.

The European Parliament, however, claims to have a clear understanding of the events. In a written statement, Delphine Colard, the parliament's spokesperson, indicated that after reviewing surveillance footage and speaking with those involved, the security department concluded that the incident was instigated and escalated by the staff member.

Despite this assessment, Vänsterpartiet disputes the European Parliament's findings. Joakim Höjer, a spokesperson for V, expressed skepticism about the internal investigation's credibility, noting that their staff member has yet to access the internal report. He referenced previous instances in which the European Parliament failed to properly address and penalize harassment cases involving its own staff.

When questioned about the lack of trust in the internal investigation, Höjer attributed it to a broader awareness within the parliament that staff members often struggle to receive justice against parliamentarians. He emphasized that their police report stems from a belief that their representative was physically attacked.

The president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, who is affiliated with the conservative European People's Party (EPP) alongside Kristdemokraterna, has drawn scrutiny from Vänsterpartiet. Party leader Nooshi Dadgostar expressed doubts about the impartiality of the investigation, citing Metsola's political ties to Teodorescu Måwe. Dadgostar noted that they have not yet received surveillance footage and are requesting access to it.

The statements from Vänsterpartiet have reportedly stirred considerable annoyance among European Parliament officials, who view the party's challenge to the investigation as unfounded. Kristdemokraterna has similarly reacted strongly, emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations made against their representative. Natalie Tegelberg, chief of staff for Kristdemokraterna in Brussels, asserted that the investigation was conducted by independent personnel without party affiliations, and involved interviews and review of surveillance footage. She urged Dadgostar to take responsibility for the actions of Vänsterpartiet's representatives.

As per standard procedures, neither Kristdemokraterna nor Vänsterpartiet have had access to the surveillance footage, which is only available to law enforcement or prosecutors upon request. Vänsterpartiet has also declined to share their police report with the media.

Efforts to reach Teodorescu Måwe, Dadgostar, and other members of Vänsterpartiet for comment have been unsuccessful. The European Parliament has also not addressed the allegations of unreliability regarding the internal investigation.