European Parliament strips Italian MEP Fulvio Martusciello of immunity in Huawei lobbying probe

The vote in Strasbourg

The European Parliament voted on Tuesday to revoke the parliamentary immunity of Fulvio Martusciello, the head of Forza Italia's delegation in the chamber. The decision, taken by secret ballot with 344 votes in favour, 234 against and 25 abstentions, confirms the recommendation made on 3 June by the Parliament's legal affairs committee (JURI). The margin widened considerably from the committee stage, where the gap was just three votes, raising questions about possible defections within the European People's Party and the ECR group, where members were given a free vote.

Three other MEPs targeted by the same Belgian probe kept their immunity: Forza Italia colleague Salvatore De Meo, Maltese socialist Daniel Attard and Bulgarian liberal Nikola Minchev. The plenary followed the JURI committee's assessment that Belgian authorities had not provided sufficient evidence to justify lifting their shields.

I have no doubt about his conduct and his non-involvement in the contested facts.

The Huawei investigation

The investigation, which burst into the open in March 2025 with searches in Belgium, Portugal and other European countries, centres on allegations of active corruption, document forgery and money laundering at the European Parliament. Belgian federal prosecutors allege that Huawei sought to influence EU decision-making through a network of consultants, lobbyists and intermediaries tasked with cultivating relationships with MEPs and their staff. The suspected benefits included invitations to sporting events, travel, hospitality and other advantages.

Ahead of the vote, Martusciello circulated a document to fellow MEPs, seen by POLITICO, denouncing what he called the "carelessness" and "superficiality" of the prosecutor's allegations. He said that bank transfers prosecutors claim came from Huawei were actually repayments of a loan he had made to a friend. He denies any wrongdoing.

The accusations against Martusciello

Italian press reports detail two strands to the alleged conduct. One involves suspected pressure on European Commission officials to open a breach in Brussels' firewall against Huawei's 5G equipment. The other centres on what prosecutors describe as a "corruptive pact": Martusciello allegedly ensured that students from the Università della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli could take part in the Huawei Academy, in exchange for the company's support in securing his re-election to the European Parliament.

Prosecutors believe that some collaborators close to Martusciello may have played a role in the relationship between Huawei and the European Parliament. The lifting of immunity does not constitute a finding of guilt; it simply allows the Belgian prosecutor's office to continue its investigation without the restrictions attached to MEP status.

Political fallout for Forza Italia

The vote lands as a second blow to Forza Italia in a matter of days, following a sexual assault investigation by Rome prosecutors into senator Francesco Silvestro. Silvestro had been considered Martusciello's challenger for the Campania regional party congress, which was due to be held in the coming months despite calls from figures close to Marina Berlusconi to suspend internal elections. Both contenders are now considered out of the running, potentially forcing a freeze on the Campania assembly.

Forza Italia leader Antonio Tajani, who is also Italy's deputy prime minister, immediately closed ranks around his delegation chief. EPP president Manfred Weber reinforced the line, recalling that "the presumption of innocence is one of the fundamental principles of the EU." No indications have emerged so far that Martusciello intends to step down from his post. Should he do so, the names most frequently mentioned for the succession are Marco Falcone, who collected over 100,000 preference votes at the last European elections, and Letizia Moratti, a former education minister.

Broader irritation with Belgian authorities

MEPs expressed frustration with what they see as blunders by Belgian investigators in the Huawei probe. According to POLITICO, these include wrongly attributing actions to an MEP after mistaking him for a businessman with the same name, and seeking to lift another lawmaker's immunity before realising she was not an MEP at the time of the alleged conduct. The irritation coloured the plenary debate but did not ultimately prevent the chamber from backing the prosecutor's request in Martusciello's case.