Request for the waiver of the immunity of Hermann Winkler

The European Parliament decided to waive the immunity of Hermann WINKLER (EPP, DE).

To recall, the public prosecutor’s office in Leipzig (Germany) requested the waiver of the parliamentary immunity of Hermann Winkler, Member of the European Parliament, in connection with launching investigative proceedings concerning an alleged road traffic offence on 23 September 2015.

The criminal proceedings do not concern any opinion expressed or vote cast in the performance of the duties of a Member of the European Parliament for the purposes of Article 8 of Protocol No 7 on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Union.

In the light of the information acquired by the committee, there is no reason to assume that the intention underlying the criminal proceedings is to damage a Member’s political activity (fumus persecutionis).

Given that the alleged offence thus clearly has no connection with the position of Hermann Winkler as a Member of the European Parliament, Parliament decided to waive parliamentary immunity in the case in question.