Botenga backs The Left’s proposal to halve MEPs’ salaries
The group wants to reduce monthly pay for members of the European Parliament from €8,800 to €4,400.
Marc Botenga, an MEP from The Left, has defended his group’s proposal to halve European Parliament members’ salaries. He said the reduction would help MEPs understand the everyday experiences of Europeans.
The proposed monthly salary is €4,400, compared with the current €8,800. Botenga argued that members’ circumstances shape how they vote and which proposals they make, and said many were chiefly preoccupied with their privileges.
Answering allegations that the proposal was populist, Botenga said Parliament routinely debated a wide range of issues. He contrasted that with what he described as resistance to discussing MEPs’ own pay and privileges.
