Long-time leader of France’s far-right National Rally (RN) and a prominent presidential hopeful, Marine Le Pen, appeared in a Paris court on Monday to face charges of misusing European Union parliamentary funds.
Le Pen, along with over 20 senior party figures is accused of hiring parliamentary assistants who allegedly worked on party affairs rather than working for the European Parliament, which paid their salaries.
Prosecutors claimed that these alleged fraudulent activities dated back to the period between 2004 and 2016.
They were seeking to recover more than 3 million Euros (£2.5 million) out of which the RN has already repaid 1 million euros (£834,000), although the party maintained that this was not an admission of guilt.
If found guilty, Le Pen could face severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment, along with the potential to be declared ineligible to run for public office for up to 10 years.
This could cast a shadow over her aspirations for the 2027 presidential elections.
Despite these risks, Le Pen has denied any wrongdoing and remained defiant in her defense.
Upon arrival at the courthouse, Le Pen expressed her calm demeanor, asserting that neither she nor her associates violated any political rules.
“We are going to prove that it is possible to be an assistant to a European parliamentarian and get involved in the life of the RN,” said party spokesman Laurent Jacobelli, who reiterated that there was no orchestrated plan to embezzle EU funds.
The charges extend beyond Le Pen herself, with her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, the 96-year-old founder of the National Front (which later became RN), also facing accusations. Due to health issues, however, he will not be attending the trial.
The case, first flagged in 2015, alleged that one of Le Pen’s parliamentary assistants was, in fact, working as a bodyguard for her and her father rather than fulfilling European parliamentary duties.
The trial, expected to last for nearly two months, has added to the ongoing political intrigue surrounding Le Pen, who ran for the French presidency in 2012, 2017, and 2022 and has remained a central figure in France’s far-right movement, promoting policies centered on restricting immigration, prioritising social welfare for French citizens, and advocating for law and order and tax cuts.
Despite the controversy, Le Pen has continued to maintain political influence, having been re-elected to parliament in June during France’s parliamentary elections.
Her party’s unexpected third-place finish followed a strong showing in the European Parliament elections earlier that year.
However, it was the left-wing coalition that ultimately won the majority of legislative seats.
In response, President Emmanuel Macron formed a right-wing government.
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