MEPs in the European Parliament are entitled to generous perks on top of their monthly salaries of over €8,000.
But weak oversight, and the lack of a proper paper trial on these 'expenses', may have helped generate some of the backlash against an EU institution which already often struggles to connect with the public.
Turnout at the elections went from a high of 62 percent in 1979 to only 42 percent in 2014, Back our independent journalism by becoming a supporting memberGet EU news that matters
Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.
Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.