The email comes amid a fierce campaign for the EPP’s vice-chair positions, with voting set for Tuesday.

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STRASBOURG — The European Parliament is launching an internal investigation into a bogus email ostensibly written by a senior European People’s Party lawmaker, apparently attempting to derail a colleague’s bid for a top group post.

Andrzej Halicki said the email, received by POLITICO on Thursday, was not written by him and requested that the Parliament ask Belgian authorities to investigate, arguing he is a victim of “shameful allegations based on fake e-mails.”

A spokesperson for the Parliament said, “Our services have confirmed that it is not an authentic email. We are in contact with the member concerned to see how this can be best investigated and prevent any further cases like this.”

The email disparaged the work of Portuguese EPP lawmaker Sebastião Bugalho ahead of the EPP’s vice-chair elections. When asked, Bugalho’s office said he “will obviously not comment on forged emails.”

Pedro López de Pablo, the EPP’s press director, said: “The group has been informed that there will be an investigation.”

The Parliament’s probe was announced by EPP group chair Manfred Weber to all the group’s lawmakers at a closed-door meeting on Monday afternoon, according to four people in the room. They were granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive internal matter.

Halicki sent his request for an investigation by Belgian authorities to Parliament President Roberta Metsola on Friday. “As I know, the Parliament immediately reacted, and the investigation has been launched,” he said, referring to the internal probe.

The email comes amid a fierce campaign for the EPP’s vice-chair positions, which are to be voted on on Tuesday. Twelve lawmakers, including Bugalho and Halicki, are battling it out for 10 spots.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this report misstated Pedro López de Pablo’s role. This article was updated Oct. 19 to correct his title to press director.

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