MEPs vote for Parliament to sue Commission over €150bn defence loan programme

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have voted to potentially sue the European Commission over its €150 billion SAFE defence loan programme. The Parliament’s legal committee argues that the Commission bypassed MEPs’ right to co-legislate by invoking Article 122 of the EU treaty, which is normally used in emergency situations. The fund aims to strengthen EU defence capabilities amid rising threats, but many lawmakers worry it undermines democratic oversight. The Commission insists it used the correct legal basis due to the “unprecedented security threat” facing Europe. If pursued, the lawsuit would question the legitimacy of using executive powers to allocate major defence spending without full parliamentary involvement. Parliament President Roberta Metsola must now decide whether to proceed with legal action.