Left Group Proposed Halfing MEP Salaries
The European Parliament will vote on an amendment to reduce the net monthly salary for its members.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Unions
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The Left group in the European Parliament has introduced an amendment to reduce the net monthly salary of MEPs from €8,772.70 to approximately €4,400. Lawmakers argue the cut would help bridge the disconnect between legislators and ordinary voters while saving over €50 million in budget funds.
Why it matters
The proposal addresses long-standing concerns regarding the financial gap between European representatives and their constituents. Proponents believe the adjustment promotes fiscal responsibility and aligns lawmakers closer to the economic reality of the citizens they represent.
The amendment proposes reducing the current net monthly salary of €8,772.70 to €4,400. This measure is expected to save the Parliament budget over €50 million, though previous similar proposals were rejected by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.
The players
The Left group
This political group in the European Parliament advocates for socialist and communist policies and consistently pushes for increased economic equality.
European Parliament
This is the legislative body of the European Union, directly elected by voters to represent the interests of citizens across member states.
The details
The salary reduction would apply exclusively to the base net monthly pay rather than the additional allowances provided to MEPs, such as the €4,950 monthly expenditure allowance or the €359 daily subsistence rate. Members currently also receive over €32,000 monthly to manage their parliamentary assistants.
Timeline
The plenary session vote on the budget resolution is scheduled to take place in two weeks.
Political Context
The proposal to slash MEP salaries contradicts the current fiscal structure established by the Parliament budget resolution for the upcoming year. Opposition parties maintain that the current compensation package is necessary to attract qualified legislative experts from diverse member states.
While the proposed salary cut would not change individual tax rates, it reflects broader legislative efforts to align official compensation with public economic standards. Citizens may observe heightened debate regarding government transparency and the allocation of public funds in the coming weeks.
The takeaway
The move by the Left group underscores a growing trend of political parties challenging established compensation structures to gain public trust. Readers should monitor the upcoming plenary session to see if similar cost-cutting measures gain traction in future parliamentary sessions.
Further reading
Learn more about labor dynamics and legislative policy on our Unions page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Euronews English.
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