Epstein document release triggers resignations across Europe

Thursday 12 February 2026 - 15:41

By: Dakir Madiha

Epstein document release triggers resignations across Europe

The publication of more than three million pages of documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein by the United States Department of Justice on January 30, 2026 has set off a political upheaval across Europe, leading to resignations, criminal investigations and public apologies from senior officials and members of royal families.

The files detail sustained contact between European politicians, diplomats and royals and the convicted sex offender, relationships that became politically untenable even where no criminal charges have been filed. While many of those named in the documents are not accused of wrongdoing, their continued association with Epstein after his 2008 conviction has prompted consequences that contrast sharply with the more limited fallout seen in the United States.

Britain has faced some of the most serious repercussions. Peter Mandelson, former British ambassador to the United States and a senior Labour figure, is under criminal investigation by the Metropolitan Police for alleged misconduct in public office. Authorities are examining whether he shared confidential government information with Epstein during his tenure as a minister in the government of Gordon Brown.

Documents appearing to show that Mandelson received 75,000 dollars from Epstein, along with images and communications cited in the disclosures, led to his resignation from the Labour Party on February 1. Police subsequently searched two properties linked to him in Wiltshire and central London. The controversy has also placed pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who appointed Mandelson as ambassador while aware of his past ties to Epstein. Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, and communications director, Tim Allan, both stepped down amid the crisis.

In Norway, the revelations have had wide ranging impact. Crown Princess Mette Marit issued a public apology on February 6, acknowledging what she described as poor judgment in maintaining contact with Epstein. Documents indicate that she borrowed a property owned by Epstein in Palm Beach, Florida in 2013 and exchanged emails with him after his 2008 conviction.

Former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland is under investigation for aggravated corruption after the country’s economic crime authority, Økokrim, determined there were reasonable grounds to examine whether he accepted gifts, travel or loans linked to his official duties. On February 11, the Council of Europe voted to lift Jagland’s diplomatic immunity, allowing the inquiry to proceed.

Ambassador Mona Juul resigned on February 9 after disclosures showed that Epstein had bequeathed 10 million dollars to the children of Juul and her husband, Terje Rød Larsen, in a will drafted shortly before his death in 2019. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide described his own contacts with Epstein as a serious error of judgment.

The repercussions have extended beyond northern Europe. In France, former Culture Minister Jack Lang stepped down as head of the Institut du monde arabe on February 7 after his name appeared more than 673 times in the Epstein files, reflecting correspondence between 2012 and 2019. France’s national financial prosecutor has opened a preliminary investigation into his alleged financial ties to Epstein.

In Slovakia, national security adviser Miroslav Lajcak resigned on February 1 after documents revealed text exchanges with Epstein concerning women. Lajcak characterized the messages as inappropriate banter but denied any illegal or unethical conduct. He said he was stepping down to shield Prime Minister Robert Fico from political repercussions unrelated to the government’s policies.

Across the continent, the disclosures have intensified scrutiny of past relationships with Epstein and triggered formal investigations that could reshape political careers and institutions in several European countries.