European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili has been stripped of her powers following her connection with corruption investigations in Belgium.
Kaili, who represents Greece, was arrested late Friday in Belgium, along with several other suspects, in an investigation into suspected bribery.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola "has decided to suspend with immediate effect all powers, duties and tasks that were delegated to Eva Kaili in her capacity as Vice-President of the European Parliament," a spokesperson said.
A decision to remove Kaili, 44, from the position of vice president can only be decided by the parliament itself.
The public prosecutor's office said authorities would meet on Sunday to decide whether the five suspects, including Kaili, would remain in custody.
Prosecutors said the investigation is looking into attempted influence from abroad and allegations of corruption and money laundering.
Authorities declined to identify which country was behind the alleged influence efforts, but sources told dpa the country in question is Qatar, which is playing host to the World Cup football tournament.
