European Parliament Investigates MEP Johan Van Overtveldt Over Incident with Security Guard

The European Parliament has launched an investigation into Belgian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Johan Van Overtveldt following allegations of inappropriate behavior towards a security guard at the Parliament’s Brussels facility on February 11, 2026. The investigation was initiated after a complaint filed by the parliamentary staff union with President of the EP, Robert Metzola.

Details of the Incident

According to reports, Van Overtveldt attempted to enter the European Parliament building with his wife when a security officer noticed his access pass had expired. The MEP reportedly questioned the guard’s identity, then threw the guard’s identification badge to the ground and used abusive language.

Van Overtveldt has acknowledged the incident, stating he does not recall the exact words used but may have raised his voice. He also claims the security officer behaved offensively towards his wife.

Who is Johan Van Overtveldt?

Johan Van Overtveldt is a Belgian politician representing the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) party and is affiliated with the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament. According to the European Parliament website, he currently chairs the Committee on Budgets. He was born on August 24, 1955, in Mortsel, Belgium.

Prior to his role in the European Parliament, Van Overtveldt served as Belgium’s Minister of Finance from 2014 to 2018. As noted by Wikipedia, he was first elected to the European Parliament in July 2019, and previously from 2014-2018. Before entering politics, he was a journalist, serving as chief editor of Trends from 2010 to 2013 and Knack from 2011 to 2012.

Ongoing Investigation

The European Parliament is taking the allegations seriously and will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the facts of the case. Further details regarding the investigation’s timeline and potential outcomes have not yet been released.