Key takeaways
- Marine Le Pen and 26 others, including RN officials and former lawmakers, are accused of misusing European Union funds.
- The trial, which began nearly a decade ago, offers Le Pen a chance to address allegations she has consistently denied.
- A conviction could result in a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years, a fine of one million euros and a ban from public office for up to five years.
Allegation of misuse of EU funds
A Paris criminal court will convene on Monday to hear a case against Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s National Rally (RN) party, and 26 others accused of misusing European Union funds. The trial, which began nearly a decade ago, offers Le Pen an opportunity to address allegations she has consistently denied. Its aim is to present the RN as a legitimate party capable of governing and thus polish its image.
However, this legal proceeding also poses significant risks to the party as it potentially exposes its recurring problems with the law. RN officials, employees, former lawmakers and parliamentary staff are accused of misusing funds intended for EU parliamentary work to pay staff directly employed by the party, then called the National Front.
Background and allegations
EU lawmakers are allocated funds to cover their expenses, including the salaries of their assistants. This money is not intended to be used for cross-party activities. While many European political parties, especially smaller ones with limited national funding, have used EU money to recruit promising individuals as assistants to EU lawmakers, current RN leader Jordan Bardella, Member of the European Parliament, is not involved in this lawsuit, despite the fact that he has previously served in such an assistant role.
The RN denies all charges. They claim that their interpretation of the role of assistant differs from that of the European Parliament. Marine Le Pen is accused of both her leadership position within the party and her tenure as an EU lawmaker who allegedly hired fictitious aides.
Influence on Marine Le Pen and the RN
Prosecutors allege that Thierry Legier, another defendant, worked as a bodyguard for Le Pen and her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of the National Front, while receiving the salary of a parliamentary assistant between 2005 and 2012. A conviction could result in a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years, a fine of one million euros and a ban from public office of up to five years for both Le Pen and the other suspects.
Laurent Jacobelli, RN lawmaker and party spokesperson, stated last week that Le Pen is not concerned about the process, emphasizing that they have a different understanding of the role of an assistant than the European Parliament.
Research and possible outcomes
Le Pen has it before included against Emmanuel Macron in the second round of the French presidential elections, losing in both 2017 and 2022. Despite these losses, she is widely considered a leading contender for the next elections in 2027. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation in 2016. of a 2015 report from the President of the European Parliament to the French Minister of Justice, which led to a subsequent police investigation.
Researchers examined the situation of 49 RN parliamentary assistants in three parliamentary terms of the European Parliament. They charged 11 RN members of the EU assembly, including Marine Le Pen and her father, with embezzlement of EU funds and charged 13 parliamentary staff with receiving these funds.
The trial is expected to conclude on November 27. The RN is currently facing another preliminary investigation launched in July by the Paris prosecutor’s office into alleged illegal financing of their 2022 presidential campaign.
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