Earlier this month, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published a cache of documents exposing how numerous multinational firms have avoided paying billions of dollars in taxes while maintaining only a token presence in Luxembourg. The so-called Lux Leaks scandal has directly touched Jean-Claude Juncker, who assumed his role as president of the European Commission, the European Union’s legislative body, on Nov. 1. Juncker served as both finance minister and prime minster of Luxembourg, prompting many questions about his knowledge of and role in the scandal.
Lux Leaks has confirmed what many already knew, or at least suspected. In fact, the European Commission announced in October that it was launching an investigation into the corporate income taxes paid by Amazon in Luxembourg, and there are ongoing investigations of tax codes in Ireland and the Netherlands as well.
For his part, Juncker says he was not complicit in organizing tax evasion in Europe, a claim many find ludicrous.